Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
Public Health: Demography and Epidemiology
Teaching staff
Students can consult the teachers in each class with questions. Outside these hours, you must request an appointment by email:
Dr. Pere Castellví Obiols: pcastellvi@uic.es
Introduction
Epidemiology is a scientific discipline in the area of medicine that studies the distribution, frequency and determining factors of diseases in human populations.
Public health is the area of science that is responsible for ensuring the health and well-being of the population. It includes disciplines such as epidemiology, biostatistics, demography, research methodology, disease prevention, health promotion, health management and policy, or social and behavioral sciences, among other central disciplines in its program; but also includes transversal skills such as data processing, bioinformatics, cultural diversity, communication, leadership, professionalism, planning and evaluation of health programs and technologies, among others.
It has even given way to subspecialties such as school health, maternal and child health, occupational health, environmental health, health management or the evaluation of medical technologies, among others. In this sense, public health provides health science professionals with the ability to observe existing problems in the population, analyze them and establish an improvement plan.
Pre-course requirements
To have passed the following subjects:
- Introduction to Epidemiology
- Management of Scientific Information
- Biostatistics
Objectives
• Have the necessary skills to calculate and evaluate the most commonly used epidemiological indicators
• Know the most appropriate study designs according to the research question being asked and the prevalence or incidence of the disease
• Know how the validity of a diagnostic test is calculated and interpreted
• Differentiate what is a bias, the random error, when we can infer causality between a cause and an effect, and know how to identify and control the confusion and calculate the interaction
• Knowing how to identify the aspects that influence the health of the community, the prevention of disease and the promotion of healthy habits and lifestyles.
• Be able to design and plan disease prevention and health promotion strategies in different care areas and population groups.
• Know the basic concepts of health economics
Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme
- 10 - To understand and recognise the agents and risk factors which determine health status, and learn how they determine the symptoms and natural development of acute or chronic diseases in individuals and populations.
- 12 - Understanding the foundations for action, the indications and efficacy of therapeutic interventions, based on available scientific evidence.
- 19 - Propose preventive measures appropriate to each clinical situation.
- 23 - Communicate effectively and clearly, both orally and in writing with patients, family members, media and other professionals.
- 25 - Recognize the determinants of public health; genetic and sex-dependent lifestyle, demographic, environmental, social, economic, psychological and cultural determinants.
- 26 - Assume role in the prevention and protection from diseases, injuries or accidents and maintenance and promotion of health, both individual and at the community level.
- 27 - Recognize role in multidisciplinary teams, assuming leadership when appropriate, for the delivery of health care, such as interventions for health promotion.
- 28 - Obtaining and using epidemiological data and assess trends and risks in health related decision-making.
- 29 - Understand national and international health organisations, and the environments and conditions of the different health care systems.
- 31 - Understand, critically evaluate and know how to use sources of clinical and biomedical information to obtain, organize, interpret and communicate scientific and health care information.
- CTP-3 - To develop critical thinking and reasoning as well as self-assessment skills.
- CTS-1 - To know the principles of leadership and decision making in ordinary situations or in conflicts with and between various ethical, legal and professional elements.
- CTS-2 - To demonstrate sensitivity to environmental issues and act accordingly.
Learning outcomes of the subject
Students should be able to:
- Know how to apply the various types of existing epidemiological measures and indicators, memorizing their calculations to better understand their impact on decision-making in medicine.
- Understand the validity and reliability of diagnostic tests and how they are measured to select the most appropriate test.
- Recognize and analyze the causal agents and risk factors that determine health conditions, knowing how to interpret the results obtained for better decision-making in medical practice.
- Understand what a survival criterion is, knowing how calculations are performed to understand the natural history of disease and its prognosis.
- Know the social determinants of health, examining the types that exist to recognize their impact on the health of populations and individuals.
- Explain and apply health promotion, explaining existing evidence-based methodologies to implement them in clinical and community settings with the goal of Improve population health
- Know what communicable diseases are from an epidemiological perspective, calculating their transmissibility and lethality to inform decision-making regarding their surveillance and control in the event of an epidemic outbreak.
- Describe what a health surveillance system is, including its function in the various phases, so they can be integrated into population health monitoring.
Syllabus
Part I. Epidemiology. Methods and measurement instruments.
T1.- Introduction to Epidemiology
T2.- Measures and Indicators
Case Method 1.- Calculation of Measures and Indicators
T3.- Study Design
Case Method 3.- Study Design
Case Method 4.- Meta-analyses
T4.- Diagnostic Tests
Case Method 5.- Diagnostic Tests
T5.- Causality, Error, Bias, Confounding and Interaction
Case Method 6.- Causality, Error, Bias, Confounding and Interaction
T6.- Natural History of the Disease
Part II. Public Health Strategies: Promotion and Prevention
T7.- Social Determinants of Salt
T8.- Health Promotion and Health Education
Case Method 7.- Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
T9.- Communicable Diseases
Case Method 9.- Epidemiological Calculations in Communicable Diseases
T10.- Health Economics
T11.- Public Health Surveillance
Teaching and learning activities
In person
Theoretical classes will be combined with case methods related to theoretical classes, problem-based learning and face-to-face practice.
Theoretical classes will be held in person. During the master classes, it will begin with doubts and questions, followed by the corresponding syllabus and related real examples.
A research paper will be carried out on climate change or climate action and health or medicine
Evaluation systems and criteria
In person
FIRST CALL
The subject will be evaluated according to the following parameters:
- Midterm exam (15%): It will consist of 30 questions with 4 answer options (70%) and a practical case study with short answer (30%). There will be a correction of random correct answers of 33% of the errors.
- Final exam (45%): It will consist of 50 questions with 4 answer options (80%) and a practical case study with short answer (20%). There will be a correction of random correct answers of 33% of the errors. A score of 5 or more is required in the test and in the total score of the exam to pass the subject.
- Case Methods Exercises (20%): The Methods will be evaluated and the average of all the Case Methods presented will be calculated. The 3 forums will be equivalent to 1 Case Method.
- Final work (20%): A presentation will be made at the SDG Congress. Additionally, they may have to take two eco-social skills tests at the beginning and end of the semester and one of the carbon footprint calculator that is still to be confirmed.
- Class attendance and participation will account for an additional 10% of the final grade.
SECOND CALL
The marks of the partial exam and continuous assessment are saved for the second call if the first call has been failed.
The final exam of the second call will consist of a test of 50 multiple-choice questions with 4 answer options (80%) and a short-answer practical case (20%). There will be a correction of the random correct answers of 33% of the failures. A score of 5 or more on the multiple-choice exam and the total score of the exam will be required to pass the subject.
REPEATING STUDENTS
Those students who have had to repeat a subject from the previous year will have their continuous assessment grade kept, except for the midterm and final exam grade. If they wish to repeat a Case Method or Final Project to raise their grade, they will be able to do so.
Bibliography and resources
Mandatory bibliography:
The mandatory bibliography will be specific chapters of the following books that will be reported during the semester:
David Celentano, Moyses Szklo. fat Epidemiology (6th Edition). Barcelona: Elsevier, 2019.
Kenneth J. Rothman. Modern epidemiology. Madrid: Diaz de Santos, 1987
Piedrola Gil Preventive medicine and public health (12th Edition). Barcelona: Elsevier, 2016.
Grant S. Fletcher. Clinical epidemiology (6th edition). Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer, 2021.
Optional bibliography:
During the course, a specific bibliography will be provided for certain contents of the subject.