Program Overview

Unit Overview

The unit PUBH621 - Epidemiology is designed to provide students with comprehensive knowledge of fundamental epidemiological concepts and methods. Epidemiology is an integral area of practice that informs and supports public health action to prevent disease and promote the health of populations.

Unit Rationale, Description, and Aim

Epidemiology is crucial for understanding and analyzing the causes and distribution of disease within populations to determine how best to respond to a situation. The aim of the unit is to develop knowledge, skills, and understanding of epidemiological principles and methods for application to key practice areas such as screening and diagnostic test evaluation, critical appraisal of epidemiological research articles and systematic reviews, social/behavioral epidemiology, and chronic disease.

Learning Outcomes

To successfully complete this unit, students will be able to:

• Describe epidemiological concepts and methods and their importance to public health practice
• Identify, calculate, and interpret epidemiological measures
• Compare and contrast major epidemiological study designs
• Assess epidemiological information and integrate epidemiological concepts and methods to public health practice
• Critically appraise epidemiological research or evaluation of a public health program

Unit Content

Topics include:

• Principles of epidemiology: fundamental epidemiological concepts, data sources, and methods
• Measurement of exposure and risk of disease
• Measures: rates, odds ratios, relative risk, attributable risk, lifetime risk
• Bias, confounding: types, minimization
• Levels of evidence in quantitative research
• Observational and experimental study designs
• Applied epidemiology: disease prevention and treatment, screening and diagnostic test evaluation, specialized epidemiology
• Practical epidemiology: application of epidemiology in public health practice, health protection, monitoring, and surveillance

Assessment Strategy and Rationale

The unit has three assessment tasks designed to introduce students to a range of applied epidemiology activities. Assessment tasks assess knowledge of fundamental epidemiology concepts, the ability to apply epidemiological knowledge to a simulated public health activity, and critical appraisal of epidemiological research or evaluation of a public health program.

Assessment Tasks

• Assessment 1: Written task - short answer questions on a research article (30%)
• Assessment 2: Written task - simulated contact tracing and exposure assessment (30%)
• Assessment 3: Evaluate a public health program (40%)

Learning and Teaching Strategy

The unit uses an active learning approach, with online material, tutorials, and discussion forums. Tutorials focus on analysis of simulated public health material to provide an authentic learning experience.

Representative Texts and References

• Abramson, J.H. & Abramson, Z.H. (2008). Research methods in community medicine: surveys, epidemiological research, programme evaluation, clinical trials (6th ed.). Wiley.
• Baumgartner, T.A. & Hensley, L.D. (2006). Conducting and reading research in health and human performance (4th ed.). McGraw-Hill.
• Boden, R., Kenway, J. & Epstein, D. (2005). Getting started on research. SAGE.

Unit Details

• Credit points: 10
• Year: 2025
• Locations: Melbourne, Online