UNC Department of Epidemiology
EPID 160 - Principles of Epidemiology for Public Health
Course schedule, Summer 2004

Date Day Activity

I. 

Orientation and introduction

 
5/3
Mon Reading: Aschengrau and Seage, chap. 1 – The Approach and Evolution of Epidemiology
 
Recorded lecture
      Case study - The epidemiologic tradition
 
5/5-5/11
Wed-Tue Discussion Forum dates
 
5/10
Mon Case study due
 
5/12
Wed Discussion Forum Summary Due to TA (send by email)
 

II. 

Population perspective

 
5/10
Mon Reading: Aschengrau and Seage, chap. 4– Sources of Public Health Data; chap. 5 – Descriptive Epidemiology
 
Recorded lecture
      Case study - Population perspective
 
5/12-5/18
Wed-Tue Discussion Forum dates
 
5/17
Mon Case study due
 
5/19
Wed Discussion Forum Summary Due to TA (send by email)
 
III. 

Measuring disease; incidence and prevalence

 
5/17
Mon Reading: Aschengrau and Seage, chap. 2 – Measures of Disease Frequency, chap. 3 – Comparing Disease Frequencies
 
Recorded lecture
 
Case study - incidence and prevalence
 
5/19-5/25
Wed-Tue Discussion Forum dates
 
5/24
Mon Case study due
 
5/26
Wed Discussion Forum Summary Due to TA (send by email)
IV. 

Natural history of disease; population screening

5/24
Mon Reading: Aschengrau and Seage, chap. 16 – Screening in Public Health Practice
Recorded lecture
 
Case study - population screening
 
5/26-6/1
Wed-Tue Discussion Forum dates
 
5/31
Mon Case study due
 
6/2
Wed Discussion Forum Summary Due to TA (send by email)
6/2
Wed 1st examination posted on course web site
6/2
Wed 1st peer evaluation due (via webform)
6/2
Wed 1st student evaluation of TA due (via webform)
V. 

Study designs: intervention studies

5/31
Mon Reading: Aschengrau and Seage, chap. 6 – Overview of Epidemiologic Study Designs; chap. 7 – Experimental Studies
Recorded lecture
Case study - Intervention trials
 
6/2-6/8
Wed-Tue Discussion Forum dates
6/7
Mon Case study due
 
6/9
Wed Discussion Forum Summary Due to TA (send by email)
VI. 

Study designs: cohort studies

6/7
Mon Reading: Aschengrau and Seage, chap. 8 – Cohort Studies
Recorded lecture
Case study - Cohort studies
 
6/9-6/15
Wed-Tue Discussion Forum dates
6/14
Mon Case study due
 
6/16
Wed Discussion Forum Summary Due to TA (send by email)
6/18
Fri 1st examination due
VII. 

Study designs: case-control studies

6/14
Mon Reading: Aschengrau and Seage, chap. 9 – Case-control Studies
Recorded lecture
Case study - Case-control studies
 
6/16-6/22
Wed-Tue Discussion Forum dates
6/21
Mon Case study due
 
6/23
Wed Discussion Forum Summary Due to TA (send by email)
6/21
Mon Begin writing final paper
VIII. 

Study designs: cross-sectional and ecologic studies

6/21
Mon Reading: Aschengrau and Seage, chap. 12 – Random Error
Recorded lecture
Case study - Cross-sectional studies
 
6/23-6/29
Wed-Tue Discussion Forum dates
6/28
Mon Case study due
 
6/30
Wed Discussion Forum Summary Due to TA (send by email)
7/2
Fri 2nd examination posted on course web site
IX. 

Error: selection bias

6/28
Mon Reading: Aschengrau and Seage, chap. 10 – Bias
Recorded lecture
Case study - Selection bias
 
6/30-7/6
Wed-Tue Discussion Forum dates
7/5
Mon Case study due
 
7/7
Wed Discussion Forum Summary Due to TA (send by email)
X. 

Error: information bias

7/5
Mon Reading: Aschengrau and Seage, chap. 14 – Guide to the Critical Review of Epidemiologic Studies
Recorded lecture
Case study - Information bias
 
7/7-7/13
Wed-Tue Discussion Forum dates
7/12
Mon Case study due
 
7/14
Wed Discussion Forum Summary Due to TA (send by email)
7/15
Thu 2nd examination due
XI. 

Multicausality: confounding

7/12
Mon Reading: Aschengrau and Seage, chap. 11 – Confounding
Recorded lecture
 
  Case study - Confounding
7/14-7/20
Wed-Tue Discussion Forum dates
7/19
Mon Case study due
 
7/21
Wed Discussion Forum Summary Due to TA (send by email)
XII. 

Data analysis and interpretation; causal inference

7/19
Mon Reading: Aschengrau and Seage, chap. 13 – Effect Measure Modification; chap. 15 – The Epidemiologic Approach to Causation
Recorded lecture
Case study - Causal inference
 
7/21-7/27
Wed-Tue Discussion Forum dates
7/26
Mon Case study due
 
7/28
Wed Discussion Forum Summary Due to TA (send by email)
(no new topic)
7/26
Mon Finish up final paper and do 2nd peer evaluation
7/29
Thu Final paper due
8/2
Mon 2nd peer evaluation due
XIII. 

Role of epidemiology in public health

8/2
Mon Recorded lecture
 
8/4-8/10
Wed-Tue Discussion Forum dates
8/9
Mon Exercise - outbreak investigation (on-line)
 
8/11
Wed Discussion Forum Summary Due to TA (send by email)

rev. 3/20/2004 vs, 4/10/2004 vs