OHSE3620 - Epidemiology & Environmental Health*

Description

Introduces students to epidemiology as a way in which new knowledge in EOHS is gained and provides the tools by which the EOHS literature can be critically evaluated. Explores the relationship between the environment and human disease and looks at specific environmental pollutants and health.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of the course students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate an understanding   of the relationship between the environment and human health;
2. Understand the challenges of doing environmental epidemiologic studies and the basic types of study questions and matching study designs;
3. Understand the basic study design elements & their variations, their purpose and their strengths & weaknesses;
4. Understand the basic methods of analysing, reporting and interpreting quantitative data from environmental   epidemiological studies;
5. Apply knowledge of epidemiology and research principles to the appraisal of published environmental and occupational exposure and health outcome data;
6. Be familiar with causal reasoning and how to assess the strength of causality from study reports;
7. Be familiar with the various special environmental exposure settings and associated health problems (eg, indoor and outdoor air, food, water, radiation.)

Content

1. Introduction to research; hypotheses, hypothesis testing; what is epidemiology?
2. Health indicators; available statistics on morbidity and mortality; age standardisation; time trends;
3. The logic of cause; risk and hazard; relative and attributable risk; odds ratio;
4. Overview of research strategies;
5. Bias; surveillance and monitoring;
6. The survey; longitudinal studies; historical and concurrent; case-control studies;
7. Critical appraisal process;
8. Epidemic investigation.
9. Environmental factors and human health - global warming and climate changes, clean air, water, soil; population and land use;
10. Food and water-borne diseases.

Requisite

Pre-requisite - successful completion of ENVS2620

Assessment Items

Report: Written Assignment 1: Basic comprehension of a research report

Written Assignment: Written Assignment 2: Critical Review & Interpretation of research results

Final Examination: Written Formal Examination

Contact Hours

Lecture at PSB Academy

Face to Face on Campus 40 hour(s) per Term Full Term

*Pre-requisite course required