This module is discontinued in the selected year. The information shown below is for the academic year that the module was last running in, prior to the year selected.
2018/19 Taught Postgraduate Module Catalogue
NUFF5635M Epidemiology and Biostatistics for Health System Strengthening
15 creditsClass Size: 35
Module manager: Reinhard Huss
Email: r.huss@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2018/19
Pre-requisite qualifications
This is an advanced module in epidemiology and biostatistics. Therefore all students need to demonstrate either 1. or 2. of the following pre-requisite qualifications:1. Achievement of a mark of 70% or more in the basic epidemiology exam in the Principles of Public Health module NUFF5675M or Principles of Health Management Planning and Policy module NUFF5655M.
2. Students on PGD/MSc in International Health take the basic epidemiology exam without assessment to demonstrate their pre-requisite qualifications for this module.
Students with a borderline result in either option 1. or 2. may be able to agree their admission to the module with the Module Leader.
This module is not approved as an Elective
Module summary
This module provides participants with an opportunity to develop theoretical and practical understanding of the statistical tests and epidemiological techniques required for health system researches. The module also strengthen the participants' competence in evidence-based decision making in health system planning.Objectives
The module aims to teach advanced statistical tests and epidemiological techniques required for health system researches and strengthen participants' competence in evidence-based decision making in health system planning.Learning outcomes
On completion of this module, students will be able to:
1. Demonstrate a critical awareness of the concept of evidence-based decision-making in health system;
2. Interpret epidemiological indicators and discuss their implications on health systems;
3. Develop skills of assessing the validity of statistical tests and testing research hypotheses;
4. Gain an understanding of advanced statistical tests and epidemiological techniques with applications to health system related data ;
5. Identify and apply the appropriate statistical tests to analyse health system related data ;
6. Critically evaluate and appraise the epidemiological evidence and health system researches findings and discuss challenges and opportunities in implementation these evidence.
Skills outcomes
- Analysing health system research data;
- Interpreting and presenting research finding;
- Critically appraising, developing and applying epidemiological and health system related evidence.
- Discussing the implications of these evidences on health systems
- Develop evidence-based decision making skills and apply it in health system planning.
Syllabus
Building on the teaching in three previous modules (Health System Research Methods, Principles of Public Health, Introduction to Global and Public Health), students will be introduced to the following subjects:
1. The utilization of epidemiological evidence in identifying risk factors and evaluating treatment;
2. The definition of disease causality and difference between causality and association;
3. Different parametric and non-parametric statistical tests such as Chi-square, t test, analysis of covariance, correlation and regression;
4. Confounding factors and biases and their impact on health system research findings;
5. Different modelling techniques used in testing aetiological hypothesis which minimize the impact of biases and confounders;
6. Meta-analysis and how to assess publication bias;
7. Skills required to use routine epidemiological data;
8. The impact of missing data in large data and how to deal with it;
9. The hierarchy of evidence and methods of appraising the validity of research findings.
The teaching style for this module will be active and participative. The module will be delivered over 6 weeks, as a blend of face-to-face small group work and lectures, online written material, online discussion board, and computer-based practical sessions.
- In a series of seminars with group activities, students will be introduced to a variety of statistical tests and epidemiological techniques used in analysing health system data and the appropriate use of each test will be discussed.
- The participants will practice how to apply these statistical tests in analysing collected health system related data, using computer software. Thereafter, they will present, interpret and discuss their results in groups.
- Participants will work through a specially written workbook, in groups and individually, to practice what they have learnt in each session. This workbook includes cases studies on epidemiological evidence and health system research findings in international context.
- Participants will also work in groups to critically appraise some epidemiological evidence and health system research findings.
Teaching methods
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
| Class tests, exams and assessment | 1 | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Group learning | 3 | 2.00 | 6.00 |
| Lecture | 8 | 3.00 | 24.00 |
| Practical | 3 | 2.00 | 6.00 |
| Tutorial | 4 | 2.00 | 8.00 |
| Independent online learning hours | 9.00 | ||
| Private study hours | 94.00 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 47.00 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 150.00 | ||
Private study
- Students will be expected to work on several case studies collected in designated workbook before discussing them in the class.- Students are expected to continue what they started during the practical sessions and complete their own analysis of the provided data.
- Pre-session reading of selected articles is also required in preparation for the sessions on evidence appraisal;
- An online discussion board will allow students and lecturers to discuss questions and answers about the topics being covered, case studies and data set.
- Students will be expected to read relevant material from the recommended reading list provided after their lectures.
- Private study is also required in preparation for the exam.
Opportunities for Formative Feedback
Student progress will be monitored in a number of ways:- Individual monitoring of students ability to solve the case studies on the workbook;
- Individual monitoring of students ability to answer the practical questions during the contact time;
- Groups obtain feedback on their performance in the group work in the class;
- In the tutorials, students receive individual feedback on the quality of their analysis from peers and an academic in the presentation of their findings.
- The module leader also monitors students' progress though their contributions to the online discussion board.
Overall the Module Leader and for each session the respective teacher will be responsible for the monitoring of student progress. In case there are concerns about the learning progress of a student, this student will be provided with additional explanations, exercises with feedback and referred to specific books and websites to address the slow learning progress.
This will be done in a number of ways:
- Student attendance and contribution to lectures, group work and practical sessions.
- Monitoring of weekly contribution to online discussion board.
- Completion of case studies and practical questions during the contact time.
Methods of assessment
Coursework
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
| ------------------------- | Workbook questions (pass/fail) | 0.00 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 0.00 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
Exams
| Exam type | Exam duration | % of formal assessment |
| Open Book exam | 3 hr 00 mins | 100.00 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Exams) | 100.00 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
Reading list
The reading list is available from the Library websiteLast updated: 30/04/2018
Browse Other Catalogues
- Undergraduate module catalogue
- Taught Postgraduate module catalogue
- Undergraduate programme catalogue
- Taught Postgraduate programme catalogue
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