PHCA9520 Epidemiology for Practice

This topic will focus on the practical skills and knowledge required for epidemiological practice in public health settings today. From developing an understanding of epidemiological measures that are relevant to public health, the topic will guide students through the implementation of these measures by applying them to publicly available population data. Students will develop and/or extend their skills in locating and interpreting epidemiological information on a range of public health issues. As the ability to communicate findings to both lay and professional audiences is a crucial skill for public health practice, preparing technical reports will also be a focus of this topic. Particular learning areas will include population health status - measures of morbidity and mortality; communicable diseases - surveillance and screening; and evaluation - study design and understanding systematic reviews. Throughout the topic, real life examples of epidemiological practice will also be presented by a range of public health experts.

This topic aims to:

• Equip students with the ability to understand epidemiological concepts and to be able to apply them in public health practice
• Develop an appreciation of how to find publicly available information, identify relevant government reports, and locate other information in the scientific literature and be able to interpret epidemiological findings reported in them
• Encourage students to demonstrate their ability to present epidemiological information in an audience appropriate manner is also an important aim

1. Understand, interpret and explain epidemiological concepts that are routinely used in public health practice
2. Locate, access, interpret and evaluate epidemiological information from a variety of high-quality sources
3. Understand the principles of epidemiological data collection approaches and the role of epidemiology in guiding appropriate public health intervention
4. Synthesise epidemiological information and communicate findings in an audience appropriate manner