Epidemiology I
Synopsis
Epidemiology is the study of the distribution and patterns of health-events, health-characteristics and their causes or influences in well-defined populations. It is the cornerstone method of public health research, and helps inform policy decisions and evidence-based medicine by identifying risk factors for disease and targets for preventive medicine. Epidemiologists rely on a number of other scientific disciplines such as biology (to better understand disease processes), biostatistics (to make efficient use of the data and draw appropriate conclusions), and exposure assessment and social science disciplines (to better understand proximate and distal risk factors, and their measurement). The study of the link or strength of the association between the disease occurrence and a risk factor is called analytic epidemiology.
In this short course we approach the main types of study designs in medical research, such as cohort and case-control studies. Measures of disease occurrence and measures of disease-exposure association will be studied, with emphasis on theory, practical application and interpretation.
In this short course we approach the main types of study designs in medical research, such as cohort and case-control studies. Measures of disease occurrence and measures of disease-exposure association will be studied, with emphasis on theory, practical application and interpretation.
Target audience
Users and researchers from the Biology/Medical areas.
Level - basic
Level - basic
Topics
- Study designs in observational studies – case-series, case-control, cross-sectional, cohort – advantages and disadvantages.
- Measures of disease occurrence – prevalence and incidence.
- Measures of disease-exposure association – relative risk and odds ratio.
- Statistical analysis - confidence interval estimation and hypothesis testing corresponding to a particular study design.
- Confounding and interaction (effect modification).
Schedule
This is a three-days course with the following structure:
- 15:00 - 18:00 Lecture (computer lab)
Lecturer
Marília Antunes, Professor at the Departament of Statistics and Operational Research in the University of Lisbon and full member of the Center of Statistics and Applications of University of Lisbon
Registration
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