303091 (v.1) Epidemiology 186

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Area:	School of Public Health
Credits:	25.0
Contact Hours:	3.0
Lecture:	1 x 2 Hours Weekly
Tutorial:	1 x 1 Hours Weekly
Syllabus:	Evolution of epidemiology. Host, agent and environment. Concepts of health and disease. The natural history of disease. Estimating health and disease in populations. Demography. Concepts of risk factors and causes. Validity and reliability of data. The design of epidemiology in investigations. Fundamental biostatistical concepts.
Unit Outcomes:	On successful completion of this unit students will be able to - Demonstrate an understanding of the fundamental concepts for the investigation of Public Health from an epidemiological viewpoint. Apply basic epidemiological techniques. Identify the rangeof problems to which epidemiology can be applied to Public Health. Know the commonly used demographic and health statistics data and where to obtain these. Describe the various epidemiological study designs, understand their application to Public Health and appreciate their relative strengths and weaknesses. Apply the basic concepts of biostatistics and their role in the interpretation of epidemiological data. An understanding of the ethical considerations involved in epidemiological research.
Text and references listed above are for your information only and current as of September 30, 2003. Please check with the unit coordinator for up-to-date information.
Unit References:	Last J.M., (2001), A Dictionary of Epidemiology, (4th ed.), NY, Oxford University Press. Beaglehole R., Bonita R. and Kjellstrom T., (1993), Basic Epidemiology, Geneva, World Health Organisation. Gordis L., (1996), Epidemiology, Philadelphia, W. B. Saunders. Somerford P., Fitzgerald P., Gattorna L., Ridolfo B., Serafino S., Unwin E.and Thomson N., (1995), Our State of Health, 1995 - An Overview of the Health of The Western Australian Population, Health Department of Western Australia, Perth. Abramson J.H., (1984), Survey Methods in Community Medicine, Edinburgh, Churchill Livingstone. McMichael A.J., (1993), Planetary Overload - Global Environmental Change and the Health of the Human Species, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press. Farmer R.D.T., Miller D.L., Lawrenson R., (1996), Lecture Notes on Epidemiology and Public Health Medicine, 4th ed., Oxford, Blackwell. Beaglehole R. and Bonita R., (1997), Public Health at the Crossroads, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press. Stone D.B., Armstrong R.W., Macrina D.M. and Pankau J.W., (1996), Introduction to Epidemiology, Madison, Brown and Benchmark. Herman J., Ader and Gideon J., Mellenbergh, (1999), Research Methodology in the Life, Behavioural and Social Sciences, London, Sage.
Unit Texts:	Friis R.H. and Sellers T.A., (1999), Epidemiology for Public Health Practice, 2nd ed., Aspen, Gaithersberg.
Unit Assessment Breakdown:	Assignments 20%, Mid-Semester Test 30%, Examination 50%. This is by grade/mark assessment.
Year Location Period Internal Area External Central External 2004 Bentley Campus Semester 2 Y   Y