EPIDEMIOLOGY FOR PRACTICE

PHE2EFP

2020

Credit points: 15

Subject outline

Epidemiology is a foundation science for many areas of practice across the health sector; it provides a framework for analysing potential solutions to health problems, big and small, by emphasising the sound use of numbers and a way of thought. In other words, epidemiology is concerned with not just counting but also with thinking about what is worth counting and how best to count it. The purpose of this subject is to help students interpret the mass of epidemiological literature and the various types of health data that they might come across as health practitioners. It seeks to achieve this by providing opportunities for learning how to conceptualise, measure and discuss patterns of disease and risk in populations using appropriate statistics and research designs. The subject is taught online.

School: La Trobe Rural Health School (Pre 2022)

Credit points: 15

Subject Co-ordinator: Steve Begg

Available to Study Abroad/Exchange Students: Yes

Subject year level: Year Level 2 - UG

Available as Elective: No

Learning Activities: N/A

Capstone subject: No

Subject particulars

Subject rules

Prerequisites: N/A

Co-requisites: N/A

Incompatible subjects: N/A

Equivalent subjects: N/A

Quota Management Strategy: N/A

Quota-conditions or rules: N/A

Special conditions: N/A

Minimum credit point requirement: N/A

Assumed knowledge: N/A

Learning resources

Essential epidemiology: an introduction for students and health professionals.

Resource Type: Book

Resource Requirement: Prescribed

Author: Webb, P & Bain, C & Page, A

Year: 2017

Edition/Volume: 3RD EDN

Publisher: CAMBRIDGE UNI PRESS, CAMBRIDGE.

ISBN: N/A

Chapter/article title: N/A

Chapter/issue: N/A

URL: N/A

Other description: N/A

Source location: N/A

Basic epidemiology.

Resource Type: Book

Resource Requirement: Recommended

Author: Beaglehole, R, Bonita, R, Kjellstrom, T

Year: 2007

Edition/Volume: 2ND EDN

Publisher: WHO, GENEVA.

ISBN: N/A

Chapter/article title: N/A

Chapter/issue: N/A

URL: N/A

Other description: N/A

Source location: N/A

Career Ready

Career-focused: No

Work-based learning: No

Self sourced or Uni sourced: N/A

Entire subject or partial subject: N/A

Total hours/days required: N/A

Location of WBL activity (region): N/A

WBL addtional requirements: N/A

Graduate capabilities & intended learning outcomes

Graduate Capabilities

COMMUNICATION - Communicating and Influencing
DISCIPLINE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS
INQUIRY AND ANALYSIS - Creativity and Innovation
INQUIRY AND ANALYSIS - Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
INQUIRY AND ANALYSIS - Research and Evidence-Based Inquiry
PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL - Ethical and Social Responsibility
PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL - Leadership and Teamwork

Intended Learning Outcomes

01. Discuss the contribution of epidemiology to science and its emergence as a research discipline.
02. Describe, apply and interpret basic epidemiological measures of frequency and association.
03. Explain the uses, advantages/disadvantages and ethical aspects of different study designs.
04. Identify and assess the implications of chance, bias, confounding in epidemiological research.
05. Apply knowledge of epidemiological concepts when critically reviewing scientific literature.
06. Explain the role of epidemiology in various public health activities such as outbreak investigations, surveillance, prevention and screening.

On-Line, 2020, Semester 2, Online

Overview

Online enrolment: Yes

Maximum enrolment size: N/A

Subject Instance Co-ordinator: Steve Begg

Class requirements

LectureWeek: 0 - 0
One 2.00 hours lecture per week from week 0 to week 0 and delivered via online.
Online equivalent of two hours of lectures per week.

TutorialWeek: 0 - 0
One 1.00 hour tutorial per week from week 0 to week 0 and delivered via online.
Online equivalent of a one-hour tutorial per week.

Assessments

Assessment elementCommentsCategoryContributionHurdle%ILO*

One 1,000-word self-directed learning task.

N/AN/AN/ANo30SILO5, SILO6

One 2-hour online exam (equiv to 2000 words).

N/AN/AN/ANo40SILO1, SILO2, SILO3, SILO4, SILO5, SILO6

Participation in ten online skills workshop exercises (equiv to 1,000 words).

N/AN/AN/ANo30SILO1, SILO2, SILO3, SILO4, SILO5, SILO6