Elements of epidemiological methodology. Measures of association and risk estimation. Design and analysis of results of descriptive, analytical and experimental epidemiological studies. General epidemiology of infectious diseases. Direct and indirect standardization of mortality and morbidity rates.Systematic reviews and meta-analysis. Examples of applied epidemiology: critical reading of scientific articles. Developing a scientific study. Writing a scientific protocol.
The slides of lessons will be provided. Students will be able to deepen the topics by consulting hygiene texts:Comodo, Maciocco. Igiene e Sanita’ Pubblica – Manuale per le professioni sanitarie. Carocci Faber, Roma.Barbuti, Bellelli, Fara, Giammanco. Igiene e Medicina Preventiva. Vol.1: Igiene, Metodologia Epidemiologica ed Epidemiologia Clinica. Monduzzi Editore, Bologna.Manzoli, Villari, Boccia. Epidemiologia e Management in Sanità. Elementi di metodologia. Edi-Ermes, MilanoLopalco, Tozzi. Epidemiologia facile. Il pensiero scientifico editore, Roma.Signorelli. Elementi di metodologia epidemiologica. Società Editrice Universo, RomaRicciardi. Igiene, Medicina preventiva, Sanità Pubblica. IDELSON-GNOCCHI, NapoliJekel, Elmore, Katz. Epidemiologia, Biostatistica e Medicina preventiva. EDISES, NapoliLanciotti. Igiene per le professioni sanitarie. McGraw-Hill, Milano
Learning Objectives
The student will develop knowledge and skills related to the main epidemiological study designs.The student will be able to read and understand the scientific literature and to participate in the design, implementation and evaluation of epidemiological studies, and to use critically the tools of epidemiology.
Prerequisites
Prerequisites approved by degree course
Teaching Methods
Frontal lessons
Further information
Students must attend the written tests with student university record card or a valid identity document.In order to participate to the written tests a calculator is required and the use the mobile phone is not allowed.
Type of Assessment
One written test on the whole program. True/False questions, exercises with multiple choice answers and critical reading of abstract with open-ended questions.
Course program
Screening tests: sensitivity, specificity, predictive value of positive and negative results. Influence of cut-off values on sensitivity and specificity. Concepts of accuracy and precision.Types of sampling: randomized, "cluster", stratified, systematic sampling. Studies of descriptive epidemiology. Personal factors influencing disease distribution. Secular trends, cyclical and short-term fluctuations in the incidence of diseases. Analysis of the spatial distribution of diseases. The endemic and epidemic trends of diseases. Point source of outbreaks and progressive or propagated epidemics.Herd immunity.Measures of association and risk estimation: relative risk, odds ratio and their applications. Population attributable risk (PAR). Studies of analytical epidemiology. Design, conduct and analysis of results of epidemiological studies: transversal, retrospective (case-control) and prospective (cohort) studies. Design, conduct and analysis of results of experimental studies (clinical trials). Blinded studies.Causal, indirect and spurious association.General epidemiology of infectious diseases.Infectious agents, reservoirs and sources of infection.Definition of colonization, infection and infectious disease. Variations in the severity of infectious diseases.Direct and indirect standardization of mortality and morbidity rates.Systematic reviews and meta-analysis. Examples of applied epidemiology: critical reading of scientific articles. How to develop a scientific study: examples. How to write a research protocol: guidelines and examples.