THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI

DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY HEALTH SCIENCES

CHS 622: Epidemiology

Instructor: Amal Mitra, M.D., M.P.H., Dr.P.H.

Professor of Epidemiology & Biostatistics

108 31st Ave North

Phone: 266-5705

E-mail: amitr@ocean.otr.usm.edu

Text: Timmreck TC. An Introduction to Epidemiology, 3rd Edition. Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Sudbury, MA:1998

Reference: Lilienfeld DE and Stolley PD. Foundations of Epidemiology. 3^nd Edition. Oxford University Press, USA: 1994

James Chin (Editor). Control of Communicable Diseases Manual. 17^th Edition. American Public Health Association, Washington DC:2000

Objectives: 1. To understand the basic epidemiological concepts and methods for examining the distribution and determinants of morbidity and mortality

2. To understand the methods of epidemiological study designs

3. To develop skills in investigating outbreaks of disease

4. To apply epidemiological methods in prevention and control of disease

ADA policy: If a student has a disability that qualifies under the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) and requires accommodations, he/she should contact the Office for Disability Accommodations (ODA) for information on appropriate policies and procedures. Disabilities covered by ADA may include learning, psychiatric, physical disabilities, or chronic health disorders. Students can contact ODA if they are not certain whether a medical condition/ disability qualifies. Box 8586; Telephone (601) 266-5024; TTY (601) 266-6837; Fax (601) 266-6035.

Grading policy:

95 - 100% points : A

90 – 94% points : A -

87 - 89% points : B +

84 – 86% points : B

80 – 83% points : B –

77 – 79% points : C +

74 – 76% points : C

70 – 73% points : C -

64 - 69% points : D +

60 – 63% points : D -

Below 60% : F

Your final grade will be determined by your performance in the following areas:

PAHO paper review (2) 20%

PAHO paper presentation (2) 20%

Comprehensive review paper 20%

Outbreak Investigation (Takehome test) 20%

Final test 20%

Exams: The format of the exams include multiple-choice questions, short answers and exercises. Test questions may cover class lectures, text, exercises, and papers presented in the class. There will be no makeup exams given. If you miss an exam for an inexcusable reason, you will receive no credits for that exam. If you have prior knowledge of a schedule conflict regarding an exam, please make arrangements to take it early with valid documents.

Assignments: Deadlines for the assignments will be honored. If you turn in an assignment in late without an excusable reason, a 10% point will be deducted for each day being late.

PAHO Paper Review and Presentation: You are required to read selected articles from The Challenge of Epidemiology: Issues and Selected Readings, Pan American Health Organization, Scientific Publication No. 505, 1988. A compilation of selected articles will be put on reserve at the Cook Library for convenient access. You will select two articles, one to be presented before midterm and the other, to be presented after midterm. You are required to turn in one-page summary of your paper on the day of your presentation. Each reading and presentation should be made according to the following guidelines:

Note the year when the study was first published

· State whether the paper is a discussion (or summary article) with no original data, or a research study with original data. If it is a research study, state the study design

· Summarize the methods, the results, and the conclusions

· State the epidemiologic importance of the paper

Outbreak Investigation Exercise: This is a takehome test. You will be required to complete an exercise involving the investigation of a hypothetical epidemic. A description of the outbreak, along with questions will be handed to you later in the class. Your answers should be type-written. You should read materials related to outbreak investigation which are on page 14 and 371-377 of the text.

Comprehensive Review Paper: You will select one disease of public health importance, write a descriptive epidemiology of the topic and present it in the class. The length of the paper is approximately 12 pages, typed with double spaces. The objectives of this exercise are as follows:

To gain experience in describing and analyzing the distribution and determinants of a disease in a population

· To become familiar with various sources of data

· To enhance the ability to make sound epidemiologic judgments related to public health problems

Example of sources of data for the paper:

Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), World Health Organization, Federal, State and Local Annual and Periodic Reports

· Reports of special surveys

· Current literature search using MEDLINE

You may organize the paper using the following guidelines:

Define the problem (nature, extent, significance etc.)
Describe the disease in terms of agent-host-environment factors
Describe the disease in terms of time-place-person characteristics
List the principal gaps in knowledge about the distribution of the health problem
Suggest areas for future epidemiologic research
Use tables, graphs, or other illustrations whenever possible
Use appropriate sources of data, and refer them in the text and in a reference list.

Tentative Course Outline

WEEK TOPIC/CHAPTER

1 Course Overview; Introduction to Epidemiology: distribution, determinants, public health, types of epidemiologic studies, scope, and general purpose. Chapter 1

2 Epidemiology triangle: agent, host, and environment. Chapter 1

3 Epidemiologic transition; vaccine-preventable diseases; concepts of immunity.

4 Immunization; immunity; epidemiology of vaccine-preventable diseases: measles, rubella, hepatitis, Hib. Chapter 2.

5 Time-place-person model. Chapter 9.

6 Demography: demographic measures, sources of data, rate of population growth- exercise. Chapter 6.

7 Measurement of rates, ratios, and proportions- exercise. Chapter 4, 5.

8 Comprehensive Review Paper due. Diarrheal disease epidemiology

9 Measurement of association, exercise. Chapter 10.

10 Causal relationship, criteria of association. Chapter 10.

11 Standardization of rates, exercise. Chapter 4.

12 Takehome test: Outbreak Investigation due next week

13 Screening, exercise. Chapter 10.

14 Epidemiologic study designs. Chapter 8.

15 Review

16 Final Exam

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