Veidlapa Nr. M-3 (8)

Course Description Status: Approved

Course Description Version: 25/26.R.3.00

Description Period: 2025./26 academic year rudens semestris

Study Course Accepted: -

Study Course Description

Epidemiology I

Main Study Course Information

Course Code
SVUEK_063
Branch of Science
Clinical medicine; Public and environmental health
ECTS
3.00
Target Audience
Public Health
LQF
Level 7
Study Type And Form
Full-Time

Study Course Implementer

Course Supervisor
Solvita Kļaviņa-Makrecka
Structure Unit Manager
Anda Ķīvīte-Urtāne
Structural Unit
Institute of Public Health
Contacts

Riga, 9 Kronvalda boulevard, svek@rsu.lv, +371 67338307

About Study Course

Objective

To strengthen knowledge in basic epidemiology allowing to proceed with studying more advanced theoretical concepts and application of more sophisticated epidemiological methods in the course "Epidemiology II".

Preliminary Knowledge

Public health, statistics, basic epidemiology – according to the content of bachelor study programmes in Health Care specialties.

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge

1.On successful completion of the course students will be able to: • interpret the concepts of risk factor, cause and confounder in the context of multifactorial theory of causation; • define epidemiologic measures of disease occurrence and to describe their advantages, disadvantages and methods of calculation; • explain the meaning of age-standardization; • list and describe epidemiologic study designs, their characteristic features, advantages and disadvantages; • list the main types of biases and to give their explanation; • explain accuracy and precision of measurements and how they affect validity of a study.

Skills

1.• calculate the basic epidemiologic measures of health events and states; measures of association; sensitivity, specificity and predictive values of diagnostic tests; • apply direct and indirect methods of standardization in order to compare epidemiologic measures.

Competences

1.• differentiate between exposure variable, other risk factors and confounders under conditions of specific research question and hypothesis; • choose health measures, appropriate for the given health problems; • assess the suitability of the epidemiologic study design in regard to the research problem; • interpret the measures of association; • evaluate the potential influence of confounding and biases on study results.

Assessment

Examination

Title
% from total grade
Grade
1.

Exam
100.00% from total grade
10 points

A written exam consisting of five points:

  • three theoretical questions where the presentation of concepts should be supplemented by their own examples;
  • the task of selecting and calculating the relevant indicators;
  • a situational task where you need to recognize the design of the study and describe the pros and cons of that design in the context of the given example.

In order to evaluate the quality of the study course as a whole, the student must complete the study course evaluation questionnaire on the student portal.

Study Course Theme Plan

FULL-TIME
Part 1

  1. Lecture

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Study room
1

Topics

Epidemiology. Causation.

  1. Lecture

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Study room
1

Topics

Basic epidemiologic measures. Crude, specific rates. Case fatality rate. Proportionate mortality.

  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
4

Topics

Basic epidemiologic measures. Crude, specific rates. Case fatality rate. Proportionate mortality.

  1. Lecture

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Study room
1

Topics

Standardization. Designs of epidemiological studies.

  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
4

Topics

Standardization. Designs of epidemiological studies.
Descriptive epidemiologic studies. Errors: random errors, systematic biases.

  1. Lecture

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Study room
1

Topics

Descriptive epidemiologic studies. Errors: random errors, systematic biases.

  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
4

Topics

Analytical studies. Cohort sudies; case-control studies. Measures of association.

  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
4

Topics

Experimental studies. Diagnostic tests.

  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
4

Topics

Experimental studies. Diagnostic tests.
Total ECTS (Creditpoints):
3.00
Contact hours:
24 Academic Hours
Final Examination:
Exam (Written)

Bibliography

Required Reading

1.

Baltiņš, M. Lietišķā epidemioloģija. Rīga: Zinātne, 2003. 354 lpp. (akceptējams izdevums)

2.

Textbook of Epidemiology. Bouter, L.M., Zielhuis, G.A., Zeegers, M.P.A. 2018, Springer Nature, eBook

3.

Ārvalstu studentiem/For international students:

4.

Textbook of Epidemiology. Bouter, L.M., Zielhuis, G.A., Zeegers, M.P.A. 2018, Springer Nature, eBook

Additional Reading

1.

Beaglehole, R., Bonita, R., Kjellstrom, T. Basic Epidemiology. Geneva: WHO, 2006.

2.

Jekel, J.F., Elmore, J.G., Katz, D.L. Jekel's Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Preventive Medicine, and Public Health. Philadelphia, London: W.B.Saunders Company, 2020. ix, 297 p.

3.

Greenberg, R.S., et al. Medical Epidemiology. 5th edition. Lange Medical Books/McGraw-Hill, 2015. 254 p.

4.

Gordis, L. Gordis Epidemiology. Elsevier Saunders, 2019. 355 p.

5.

Gerstman, B.B. Epidemiology Kept Simple. An Introduction to Traditional and Modern Epidemiology. 3rd edition. Wiley-Liss, 2013. xvi, 417 p.