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This course introduces students to the measurement of health and disease in populations. Students will learn about defining and measuring health and disease. The course will cover quantitative methods to assess health and disease, including introductory epidemiology and biostatistics.
Topics include:• Measurement of health status• Introduction to epidemiology • Measures of frequency • Measures of association • Bias and confounding• Causation • Correlation and regression• Uses of routinely-collected data to measure health• Descriptive studies• Case-control studies • Cohort studies• Intervention studies• Uses of routinely-collected data
At the end of this course students will be able to:Explain how health and disease are measured quantitativelyUnderstand and explain basic concepts in epidemiologyExplain how routinely-collected data can be used to measure healthExplain the relevance of measurement of health, and how it can be used to improve health
A series of exercises run throughout the course, where students apply what they have learnt in lectures to the measurement of health and disease. Topics will include measurement of health and disease, study design, preventive strategies, and screening.
Ann Richardson
Webb, Penny , Bain, Chris; Essential epidemiology : an introduction for students and health professionals ; 2nd ed; Cambridge University Press, 2011 (Purchased from UBS ($93.59) or borrowed from the library).
All other text and resources will be available on the Learn website.
https://ucstudentweb.canterbury.ac.nz http://learn.canterbury.ac.nz http://www.canterbury.ac.nz/exams/aegrotats.shtml http://library.canterbury.ac.nz
Students should refer to Regulation J of the General Course and Examination Regulations.
Assignments are given a mark and graded on the University scale A+ to E. Grade GPA MarksA+ 9 90 – 100A 8 85 – 89A- 7 80 – 84B+ 6 75 – 79B 5 70 – 74B- 4 65 – 69C+ 3 60 – 64C 2 55 – 59C- 1 50 – 54D 0 40 – 49E -1 0 – 39A Pass is 50 marks or over
Attendance at class sessions is expected throughout the course.
Work handed in after the due date with no extension granted is considered late. Late work will incur a late penalty of one-grade reduction (e.g., B to B-). Lecturers reserve the right not to mark late work, and no work will be accepted after assignments have been returned.
Under exceptional circumstances (such as illness, accident, bereavement or critical personal circumstances) individual students may be granted an extension of the due date for an assignment. Extensions will not normally be given for longer than one week from the due date. Extensions are not granted automatically to students. Requests for extensions should be emailed to the lecturer at least two days prior to the due date for the assignment. Relevant evidence such as a medical certificate or a letter from a counsellor may be required in order for the lecturer to make a decision about whether or not to grant an extension. A copy of the lecturer’s email confirming the extension (if granted) and any supporting documentation must be submitted with the assignment. Extensions will not normally be granted because of pressure of university study (such as several pieces of work being due at about the same time).
Resubmissions of assignments is not permitted in this course (because answers will be provided when the assignments are returned).
The assignments are available on the Learn website. There will be opportunities to discuss the assignments and ask questions during tutorial sessions. Assignments should be emailed to ann.richardson@canterbury.ac.nz before 5pm on the due date. Assignments will be returned within 2 weeks of the due date, and feedback on the assignments will be provided in the tutorial following the due date for each assignment (please see the HLTH110 timetable on the next page).
Informal feedback on the course is welcome, and can be provided to Ann Richardson. Formal course evaluation is undertaken by the Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring.
Only one piece of work in a course may be considered for an aegrotat pass, and the other pieces of work must be passed with a C+ or better. Students should refer to Regulation H of the General Course and Examination Regulations.
Student assignments are to be submitted by email to ann.richardson@canterbury.ac.nz. Receipt of your assignment will be acknowledged by email.
Domestic fee $670.00
International fee $2,850.00
* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.
This course will not be offered if fewer than 25 people apply to enrol.
For further information see School of Health Sciences .