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HED417

EPIDEMIOLOGY AND PUBLIC HEALTH

  • Education
  • 400 level
  • 2 credit units
  • 297 pages
  • 40 units

This course provides a comprehensive overview of epidemiology and public health principles. It explores the distribution and determinants of health-related states in populations, emphasizing disease prevention and health promotion. Topics include epidemiological study designs, causality, ethical considerations, sampling methods, and public health surveillance. Students will learn to apply epidemiological methods to address communicable and non-communicable diseases, and to improve community health outcomes.

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About this course

Difficulty
Intermediate
Study hours
156 hours
Maths
Basic
Content
Theoretical, case study
Practical work
No
How it is assessed
  • Self Assessment Exercises
  • Tutor Marked Assignments
  • Written Examination

What you'll read

The real module and unit structure of HED417, taken from the course material NOUN publishes.

One paragraph, so you can see how it reads

HED417 · UNIT 2: TYPES OF EPIDEMIOLOGY STUDIES

Scope of epidemiology is the spectrum of scientific, ethical, and practical principles and guidelines that are relevant to the design, conduct, analysis, and interpretation/reporting of research on health- related issues in epidemiologic populations and to provide a basis for developing disease control and preventive measures for groups at risk.

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What you should be able to do

  1. Define epidemiology and public health and explain their importance.
  2. Describe different types of epidemiological studies and their applications.
  3. Apply causal inference criteria to assess associations between exposures and diseases.
  4. Explain ethical considerations in conducting epidemiological studies.
  5. Describe the epidemiology of communicable and non-communicable diseases.
  6. Apply public health surveillance methods to monitor and control diseases.

What it prepares you for

Careers
  • Public Health Officer
  • Epidemiologist
  • Health Educator
  • Health Program Manager
  • Research Assistant
Where it is applied
  • Healthcare
  • Government
  • Non-profit
  • Research
  • Education

Where it gets hard

The units students slow down on, and what makes each one heavy.

  • Module 1: Introduction to Epidemiology

    Unit 4: Ethical Consideration in Conducting Epidemiological Studies

    Ethical considerations require careful understanding of research principles and subject rights.

  • Module 1: Introduction to Epidemiology

    Unit 5: Sampling Methods

    Requires understanding of statistical power, Type I and Type II errors, and their implications.

  • Module 1: Introduction to Epidemiology

    Unit 7: Screening

    Understanding the concepts of sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value requires careful attention to detail.

A suggested way through it

Suggested

13 weeks, about 48 hours in total. Yours will differ.

  1. Week 1Module 1: Introduction to Epidemiology

    • Unit 1: Introduction to Epidemiology · 3 hours

      Define epidemiology and its role in public health.. Explain the history of epidemiology and its evolution.. Discuss the scope and purpose of epidemiology in disease prevention..

  2. Week 2Module 1: Introduction to Epidemiology

    • Unit 2: Types of Epidemiology Studies · 3 hours

      Describe cross-sectional, case-control, and cohort studies.. Explain longitudinal studies and their application in epidemiology.. Discuss intervention studies and their role in evaluating health interventions..

  3. Week 3Module 1: Introduction to Epidemiology

    • Unit 3: Causality and Causal Inference · 3 hours

      Describe the stages of statistical inference and causal inference.. Explain Henle-Koch postulates and Hill's criteria for causation.. Apply causal inference criteria to assess associations between exposures and diseases..

  4. Week 4Module 1: Introduction to Epidemiology

    • Unit 4: Ethical Consideration in Conducting Epidemiological Studies · 3 hours

      Describe ethical considerations in conducting epidemiological studies.. Explain the principles of respect for human dignity and informed consent.. Discuss the importance of minimizing harm and maximizing benefit in research..

  5. Week 5Module 1: Introduction to Epidemiology

    • Unit 5: Sampling Methods · 3 hours

      Explain the types of sampling methods used in epidemiology studies.. State the advantages of using sampling in epidemiology studies.. Describe sample size calculation for epidemiology studies..

  6. Week 6Module 1: Introduction to Epidemiology

    • Unit 6: Experimental (Intervention) Studies · 3 hours

      Explain the concept of experimental (intervention) studies.. State the purpose for experimental (intervention) studies.. State the types of experimental (intervention) studies..

  7. Week 7Module 1: Introduction to Epidemiology

    • Unit 7: Screening · 3 hours

      Explain the word screening in epidemiological studies.. State the purpose of screening in epidemiological studies.. Mention the criteria for effective screening..

  8. Week 8Module 1: Introduction to Epidemiology

    • Unit 8: Epidemiology Surveillance · 3 hours

      Explain the word epidemiologic surveillance.. State the scope of epidemiologic surveillance.. Explain the purpose of epidemiologic surveillance..

  9. Week 9Module 1: Introduction to Epidemiology

    • Unit 9: Basic Measurement in Epidemiology · 3 hours

      Define rate and its application in epidemiology.. Identify the measures of disease frequency in epidemiology.. Explain the measurement of mortality and natality..

  10. Week 10Module 1: Introduction to Epidemiology

    • Unit 10: Basic Concepts' in Epidemiology · 3 hours

      Define the basic concepts in epidemiology.. Explain the terms agent, host, and environment in disease transmission.. Discuss the importance of understanding disease distribution and determinants..

  11. Week 11Module 2: Epidemiology of Communicable and Non-Communicable Disease

    • Unit 1: Epidemiology of Communicable Disease · 3 hours

      Define communicable diseases and their modes of transmission.. Explain the causes and classification of communicable diseases.. Determine the control and prevention strategies for communicable diseases..

    • Unit 2: Escherichia coli o157:h7 Infection · 3 hours

      Explain Escherichia coli (E. coli) and its infection.. Outline the mode of transmission of Escherichia coli (E. coli).. State the signs and symptoms of Escherichia coli (E. coli)..

  12. Week 12Module 2: Epidemiology of Communicable and Non-Communicable Disease

    • Unit 3: Giardiasis (Giardia Lamblia) · 3 hours

      Explain Giardiasis (Giardia Lamblia) and its causes.. Mention the mode of transmission of Giardiasis.. Describe signs and symptoms of Giardiasis..

    • Unit 4: Typhoid Fever · 3 hours

      Explain Typhoid Fever and its causes.. Mention the mode of transmission of Typhoid Fever.. Describe signs and symptoms of Typhoid Fever..

  13. Week 13Module 2: Epidemiology of Communicable and Non-Communicable Disease

    • Unit 5: Cholera · 3 hours

      Explain Cholera and its causes.. Mention the mode of transmission of Cholera.. Describe signs and symptoms of Cholera..

    • Unit 6: Hepatitis a · 3 hours

      Explain Hepatitis A and its causes.. Mention the mode of transmission of Hepatitis A.. Describe signs and symptoms of Hepatitis A..

Preparing for the exam

What to do
  • Review definitions of key epidemiological terms (incidence, prevalence, odds ratio).
  • Practice applying Hill's criteria to example studies from Units 3-5.
  • Create tables comparing different study designs (cross-sectional, cohort, case-control).
  • Focus on understanding disease-specific epidemiology from Module 2 (transmission, symptoms).
  • Review the steps in public health surveillance from Unit 8 and create a flowchart.
  • Complete all self-assessment exercises at the end of each unit.
  • Allocate equal study time to each module, but prioritize weaker areas.
  • Create flashcards for key concepts and definitions.
  • Review all Tutor Marked Assignments (TMAs) and their solutions.
  • Practice answering past examination questions under timed conditions.

Questions students ask about this course

What is HED417 about?

This course provides a comprehensive overview of epidemiology and public health principles. It explores the distribution and determinants of health-related states in populations, emphasizing disease prevention and health promotion. Topics include epidemiological study designs, causality, ethical considerations, sampling methods, and public health surveillance. Students will learn to apply epidemiological methods to address communicable and non-communicable diseases, and to improve community health outcomes.

How many units does HED417 have?

HED417, EPIDEMIOLOGY AND PUBLIC HEALTH, has 40 units across 3 modules, over 297 pages of course material. You can read it one unit at a time.

How many credit units is HED417?

HED417 carries 2 credit units, at 400 level in Education.

Is HED417 hard?

HED417 is rated intermediate level, with basic mathematical content. It is mostly theoretical and case study work.

How long does HED417 take to study?

About 156 hours of study, spread across its 40 units.

How is HED417 assessed?

HED417 is assessed by Self Assessment Exercises, Tutor Marked Assignments and Written Examination.

What can I do with HED417?

Public Health Officer, Epidemiologist, Health Educator, Health Program Manager and Research Assistant.

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