Course code Medi6003

Credit points 3

Public Health and Epidemiology

Total Hours in Course81

Number of hours for lectures12

Number of hours for seminars and practical classes12

Independent study hours57

Date of course confirmation23.01.2012

Responsible UnitInstitute of Food

Course abstract

The objective is to promote students’ understanding and strengthen knowledge of basic issues of modern epidemiology and public health, based on scientific evidence and practice; to formulate and analyze significant problems in public health at the global, national, local level and to improve the ability to apply multidisciplinary knowledge about possible directions of action in the improvement of public health.
The tasks of the course are as follows:
1) to improve knowledge about the field of public health and its interaction with clinical medicine, other branches of social sciences, as well as the role of nutrition in the context of public health;
2) to improve skills to select and apply the most appropriate modern epidemiological research methods in research and application of critical thinking;

3) to advise of students with various possibilities for the promotion of public health based on scientific grounds and practice.

Learning outcomes and their assessment

Knowledge:
1) explains the links between health promotion, different forms of prevention, quality of life, inequality, individual and social factors influencing the burden of disease, nutrition habits and the impact on modern public health;
2) understands the science-based methodological possibilities used in epidemiology in public health assessment;
3) understands theories and research for the improvement and development of public health, identifies the possibilities of scientific research methodology used in nutrition.
Skills:
4) independently applies the principles of critical reading (thinking), draws conclusions about the causes, consequences and impact of public health problems on the health of the population;
5) analyse, explain and discuss systematic aspects of the public health and nutrition in professional audiences and beyond;
6) carries out independent research activity, performing all stages of the research, interprets possible choices and shifts in epidemiological research designs.
Competencies:
7) decides independently on the most appropriate type of epidemiological research to analyse, conclude and propose innovative solutions in the field of nutrition and the improvement of public health;
8) arguments for the set of measures necessary for the application of nutritional knowledge in the promotion of public health;

9) interpret summaries of scientific literature in the field of epidemiology and nutrition science, using the principles of critical reading in the analysis of scientific articles.

Course Content(Calendar)

Lectures
1. History of public health to the present and its conceptual framework. L1
2. Social determinants of health. Health promotion and saluteogenesis. The role of nutrition in health promotion. L2
3. Demographic statistics. Its application in nutrition. L2, S1
4. Quality of life research. Preventive medicine. Screening. L3, S1
5. Principles of construction of health systems. L3
6. History of epidemiology, basic findings, its application in clinical medicine and public health. L1
7. Measurement of health and disease (incidence). Qualitative research methods. L2, S1
8. Types of epidemiological studies. L3, S1
9. Methodological problems of epidemiological research. L2, S1
10. Decision making analysis. Critical analysis of medical publications. L1, S2, P5
Practical works
1st work. The critical analysis of medical publications.
Seminars
1st seminar. Demographical statistics in nutrition.
2nd seminar. Screening tests.
3rd seminar. Qualitative research methods.
4th seminar. Epidemiological studies.
5th seminar. Epidemiological studies.

6th seminar. Critical analysis of medical publication.

Requirements for awarding credit points

Participation in seminars and practical work is mandatory. The final rating of the study course will be resulted from:
1) results of intermediate written test 1;
2) results of intermediate written test 2;
3) results of the seminars;
4) results of the practical work;

5) results of the written examination.

Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work

Students’ independent work is organized individually and /or in work groups, assigning the following tasks: to independently prepare for seminar classes, practical work and mi-tests and final test.

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

Awarding credits:
1) results of intermediate written test 1 (25%);
2) results of intermediate written test 2 (25%);
3) results of the seminars (10%);
4) results of the practical work (10%);

5) results of the written examination (30%).

Compulsory reading

1. Baltiņš, M. (2003) Lietišķā epidemioloģija. Rīga, Zinātne.
2. Martinsone, K. Pipere, A., Kamerade, D. (2016) Pētniecība. Teorija un prakse. Rīga, RAKA.
3. Jekel's Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Preventive Medicine, and Public Health (2017). Elsevier, Inc.
4. Betty, R. Kirkwood et al. (2010) Essential medical statistics. 2nd edit. Dawsoner e-book.
5. Polgar, S., Shane, A.T. (2011) Introduction to Research in the Health Sciences. 5th edit. Dawsoner e-book.

6. Mozgis, Dz. (2008) Ceļvedis veselības aprūpes vadībā. Rīga, Nacionālais apgāds.

Further reading

1. Beaglehole, R., Bonita, R., Kjellstrom, T. (1993) Basic epidemiology. WHO, Geneva.
2. Dictionary of epidemiology. (2002) Edit. J.H.Lasat. OUP.
3. Jekel's Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Preventive Medicine and Public Health (2014). Elsevier, Inc.

Periodicals and other sources

1. http://www.vm.gov.lv/ LR Veselības ministrija
2. http://www.csb.lv/ LR Centrālā statistikas pārvalde
3. http://www.spkc.gov.lv/ SPKC
4. http://www.who.int./ Pasaules Veselības organizācija
5. http://www.who.dk./ Pasaules Veselības organizācija (Eiropas)
6. http://www.un.org/ Apvienoto Nāciju Organizācija
7. http://www.cdc.gov ASV Slimību kontroles un profilakses centrs
8. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov Pub Med datubāze
9. http://www.sciencedirect.com Science direct datubāze
10. Latvijas Ārsts
11. Doctus
12. Eurosurveillance (European communicable disease journal)
13. British Medical Journal
14. New England Journal of Medicine

15. European Journal of Public Health