HEP704 - ADVANCED EPIDEMIOLOGY

Course Name Code Semester Theory
(hours/week)		 Application
(hours/week)		 Credit ECTS
ADVANCED EPIDEMIOLOGY HEP704 Any Semester/Year 3 0 3 6
Prequisites
Course languageTurkish
Course typeElective 
Mode of DeliveryFace-to-Face 
Learning and teaching strategiesLecture
Discussion
Question and Answer
Preparing and/or Presenting Reports
Other: Discussion of medical papers and some tables, statistical analysis, modeling, analysis of a data set  
Instructor (s)Prof. Dr. Banu Çakır 
Course objectiveThe course aims to introduce advanced epidemiologic methods to students with basic understanding of epidemiological principles and methods and some level of experience with medical research in order to enable them to conduct various advanced analyses, to discuss comparative merits and limitations of various analytic approaches, to discuss potential for various errors in scientific research and to propose remedies to handle those. The course includes both theoretical discussions and hands-on practice to reach these objectives. 
Learning outcomes
  1. Conducting stratified analyses and interpretation of the results;
  2. Conducting weighted analysis (to be used in situations required by the sampling scheme
  3. Conducting standardization
  4. Discussing of analytical issues to evaluate presence of confounding and/or interaction and conducting methods to control for confounding (if any)
  5. Conducting matched analysis for analysis of data from matched case-control studies
  6. Listing the basic principles and characteristics of multivariate analysis
  7. Conducting Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and its use in epidemiologic studies Conducting Cox regression analysis for multivariate analysis of survival data
  8. Discussing the characteristic and use of logistic regression modeling in analyzing data from health-related research Evaluating the results obtained from various multivariate analyses
Course ContentThe course is for students who successfully completed the introductory epidemiology courses, with knowledge on the basics of epidemiology and some experience on health-related research. This course is an introductory course for using and interpreting advanced analytical issues and to provide practical experience for students in handing complex data sets. Students take a series of theoretical classes and simultaneously and after completing the theoretical classes each student works on a given data set to conduct multivariate analyses and is expected to interpret their results. The students can conduct the following analyses and can interpret their findings:
? Stratified analyses
? Evaluation of confounders and adjusted analyses
? Evaluation of interaction (effect modification) in a given data set
? Use of standardization when needed
? Conducting matched analyses for data from matched case-control studies 
References1. Tezcan S. Epidemiyoloji. Tıbbi Araştırmaların Yöntem Bilimi. Hacettepe Halk Sağlığı Vakfı. Yayın No: 92/1, Ankara, 1992
2. Kleinbaum DG. Logistic Regression. A Self-learning text. Statistics in Health Sciences. Springer-Verlag New York Inc., New York, NY, 1992.
3. Kleinbaum DG. Survival Analysis. A Self-learning text. Statistics in Health Sciences. Springer-Verlag New York Inc., New York, NY, 1996.
4. Kleinbaum, Kupper and Morgenstern. Epidemiologic Research: Principles and Quantitative Methods. John Wiley and Sons, 1982.
5. Rothman KJ, Greenland S. Modern Epidemiology. 2nd ed. Lippincot-Raven Publishers, Philadelphia, PA, 1998. 

Course outline weekly

WeeksTopics
Week 1Advanced health research designs: case-cohort, nested case-control and so.
Week 2Potential sources of errors in health research ( random error, systematic erros, confounding)
Week 3Analytical approach in presence of effect modification and/or confounding
Week 4Standardization
Week 5Stratified analyses
Week 6Use of weighted analysis to adjust for sampling design
Week 7Multivariate anaytic apporaches- introduction
Week 8Logistic regression analysis
Week 9Survival analyses (Kaplan Meier and Cox regression)
Week 10Matching in case-control studies; related analytical approaches
Week 11Use of multivariate analysis on sample data
Week 12Use of stratified analysis for advanced statistical analyses and related interpretations of data
Week 13Critical appraisal of selected medical papers
Week 14Introduction of the data set to be used for final take-home exam
Week 15Self-study
Week 16Final exam

Assesment methods

Course activitiesNumberPercentage
Attendance010
Laboratory00
Application1410
Field activities00
Specific practical training00
Assignments00
Presentation00
Project130
Seminar00
Midterms00
Final exam150
Total100
Percentage of semester activities contributing grade succes1550
Percentage of final exam contributing grade succes150
Total100

WORKLOAD AND ECTS CALCULATION

Activities Number Duration (hour) Total Work Load
Course Duration (x14) 14 3 42
Laboratory 0 0 0
Application000
Specific practical training000
Field activities000
Study Hours Out of Class (Preliminary work, reinforcement, ect)14570
Presentation / Seminar Preparation000
Project13030
Homework assignment000
Midterms (Study duration)000
Final Exam (Study duration) 13030
Total Workload3068172

Matrix Of The Course Learning Outcomes Versus Program Outcomes

D.9. Key Learning OutcomesContrubition level*
12345
1. Continued focus on the development of new scientific advances in the field of adolescent medicine (AM)   X 
2. Understand interdisciplinary AM. Create distinctive results by analyzing and evaluating fresh and difficult concepts.   X 
3. To approach new knowledge systematically and assess and apply it. Create innovative research.   X 
4. To innovate adolescent health, add new ideas, procedures, develop.   X 
5. Analyze synthesis and evaluate new and complex ideas and use them to produce unique results.   X 
6. Have the ability to use research methods related to AM at a high level.   X 
7. To independently contribute to field growth by conducting an original study that innovates Adolescent Health, produces a new theory, method, or practice, or adapts a recognized thought, method, or practice to another subject   X 
8. Have published at least one article in the field of AM to national or international journal.   X 
9. To be a leader in the solution for individual and multidisciplinary problems   X 
10. Use creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making to create new field methods   X 
11. Have the ability to communicate with the adolescent and understand their normal psychosocial development    X 
12. Communicate with both adolescents and their parents at a scientific level    X 
13. To acknowledge scientific, cultural, and technological advances in adolescent health and promote adolescent health in the region of residence   X 

*1 Lowest, 2 Low, 3 Average, 4 High, 5 Highest