Certificate in Complex Humanitarian Emergencies

Prerequisites: BIOS 500, EPI 530, and GH 565. This course covers epidemiologic methods used in humanitarian emergencies such as rapid assessment, surveillance, survey design (with a focus on cluster surveys) and analysis. In addition, the class includes other topics such as outbreaks in emergencies as well as practical sessions on anthropometry and field laboratory methods. Teaching methods combine lectures and case studies of recent humanitarian emergencies.

Prerequisites: BIOS 500 and EPI 530. The course covers the technical and management principles that are the basis of planning, implementing, and evaluating health programs for acutely displaced populations in developing countries. Emphasis is placed on refugees in camp situations. The course also includes modules on assessment, nutrition, epidemiology of major health problems, surveillance, and program management in the context of an international relief operation.

Prerequisites: BIOS 500 or permission of instrcutor. This course is the follow-up to Biostatistical Methods I (BIOS 500). Students will apply many of the concepts learned in BIOS 500 in a broader field of statistical analysis: model construction. Topics covered include Linear Regression, Analysis of Variance, Logistic Regression and Survival Analysis. Students who successfully complete this course will have a deep understanding of many analytical methods used by public health researchers in daily life. BIOS 501 Lab is a component of this course.

Prerequisites: BIOS 500, 506, or 508. This class is designed to cover the concepts and implementations of up-to-date analytic methodologies and strategies in observational studies, and to equip the students with the mindset and essential tools to handle data from observational research either for prediction (statistical learning) or causal inference. Propensity score methods, establishing/validating prediction models, risk stratification, the guidance of Good Research Practice, etc. will be illustrated along with real-life projects and backed up by the recent literatures.

Provides the student with information and skills related to basic measurement issues involved in assessing variables in health behavior research.

Surveys the general principles and practices of environmental health risk assessment for toxic exposures in the environment and interactions with other factors contributing to human health risks. A variety of case studies will be used to demonstrate the basic methods and results of risk assessment, including estimation/evaluation of potential risk based on empirical evidence (e.g., laboratory animal studies, epidemiological studies), hazard and dose-response assessment for regulatory decisions, and uncertainty analysis and risk communication. Students will be introduced to and use key tools used in quantitative risk assessment.

Prerequisites: EH Department student or Instructor Permission, EPI 530 and BIOS 500. Students will gain experience reading, evaluating, and interpreting epidemiologic studies on the impact of both workplace and environmental exposures, and thinking through practical considerations. The course aims to strengthen each student's ability to read epidemiological literature critically. This aim will be realized through in-depth exploration of major study designs including cross-sectional studies, cohort studies, and case-control studies; and through the weekly readings and case studies. Although some data analysis is required, the focus of the class is on conceptual issues common in environmental and occupational epidemiology research and on the interpretation of findings. Successful completion of the course will also contribute to a richer appreciation of how the environment affects public health.

Prerequisites: Required: EPI 530 and BIOS 500; BIOS 501 or BIOS 591P; also preferred: EPI 539, EPI 540 or EPI 545; or instructor?s permission. Students will gain experience reading, evaluating, and interpreting EPI studies on the health impact of workplace & environmental exposures. Students will understand & interpret the EPI literature. Skills are developed through class lectures, assigned readings, & case studies. Most case studies require data analysis though the focus of the class is on conceptual issues common in environmental EPI rather than on applied statistics. Cross listed with EPI 747.

Prerequisites: EPI 530, BIOS 500, and EPI 534 or BIOS 501. The purpose of this course is to prepare the student for analysis of epidemiologic data from various study designs including cross-sectional, case-control, and follow-up studies. The student will have the opportunity to apply the methods taught in the epidemiology methods sequence to actual data sets. After completion of the course, the student will be prepared to do the data analysis for their thesis. The course will use the statistical program, Stata, for all analyses and therefore some time will be spent in learning the fundamentals of Stata. We will analyze multiple data sets and apply epidemiologic and statistical methods such as exact tests for 2x2 tables, stratified analysis, logistic regression, and survival techniques appropriate for epidemiologists. The course will be applied and will emphasize the use of Stata to solve various epidemiologic problems using a wide range of data sets.

Prerequisites: EPI 530 or EPI 504, BIOS 500 and knowledge of SAS. This course introduces students to data sources and methods commonly used by epidemiologists in state or provincial health departments. Data sources include websites, census, vital statistics, surveys (PRAMS). Methods include record linkage, questionnaire design, mapping, trend analysis, perinatal periods of risk, cluster investigation, small number analysis and secondary data analysis.

Prerequisites: GEH, GH, and GLEPI students only.

The goal of the course is to equip students with critical perspectives to address current and future global health challenges and opportunities as public health professionals and global citizens in this increasingly interdependent world. The course explores historical milestones, actors, assumptions, context and theories driving selected global health priorities in policy, programs and research. To do this, the course will enhance the skills of critical thinking, assessment of evidence from multiple perspectives and application of evidence in formulation of policies, programs and research priorities. A recurring theme throughout the course is that there are common global drivers influencing the health of populations and that cross-cutting issues of equity and systems transcend settings.

The course aims to introduce students to methods for translating scientific knowledge into real world practice and policy. The course covers topics around identifying and appraising the evidence base, assessing and addressing barriers that impede implementation of proven interventions, designing innovative solutions and studies to test these, and concepts of decision science to promote implementation and sustainability of proven interventions. Throughout the course, students are exposed to case studies of global health interventions which illustrate implementation science concepts while evoking discussion and critical thinking.

Provides students with the technical skills to conceptualize and design process and impact evaluations of international public health programs or projects. Helps students understand the role of monitoring and evaluation in policy analysis, planning, program design and management.

Prerequisites/concurrent: EPI 504 or EPI 530 and BIOS 500 or permission of instructor. Provides training in the investigation, control, and prevention of infectious diseases by both descriptive and analytic epidemiological techniques. Students work with infectious diseases of national and international interest. Cross-listed with EPI 517.

This course will provide students with the principles and skills for conducting and evaluating qualitative research. Topics include: principles of qualitative research, study design, participant recruitment, ethical considerations, instrument design, data collection methods (interviewing, group discussions and observation), transcription and writing. Students will design and conduct a mini qualitative study to apply skills learned to real world situations. The course outlines challenges of using qualitative methods in international settings and provides guidance on fieldwork planning and implementation to prepare students for their Applied Practice Experience.

Prerequisites: GH 521 or instructor permission. This course provides students with the principles and skills for analyzing qualitative data. Students will learn how to assess data quality, prepare data for analysis, use different analytic techniques, and write and present data. Students will learn analytic techniques through guided classroom activities, lab sessions using MAXQDA software and structured assignments. No data are required, we provide class data sets, but students can use qualitative data collected during their summer applied practice experience if suitable. Each student will work with an individual data set in course assignments.

This course provides an introduction to the collection of quantitative, representative data. Taking an applied approach, we cover the entire process of designing a study, including instrument design, sampling methods, budgeting and training, fieldwork components, and coding and editing of data. The focus is on collecting data in less-developed countries. Students develop their own surveys and accompanying methods proposals, which they may use for their Applied Practice Experience or other projects.

Prerequisites: EPI 530 and BIOS 500. EPI 540, BIOS 501, and GH 531 strongly recommended. This course provides a conceptual and experiential foundation to address research questions using quantitative data. The course emphasizes the technical skills required to transform a quantitative data set (exemplars: NHANES and Demographic and Health Surveys) into a reproducible analysis for global health applications. Students will receive guided, structured experience with quantitatively operationalizing research questions, data acquisition and management, data exploration, formal data description, conceptualization and construction of composite variables, analysis of statistical associations, and addressing common threats to valid inference. Exercises will be completed using SAS software with an emphasis on programming specific to complex survey designs. Students must register for both lecture and lab components.

Prerequisites: There is a pre-assignment for this course. This course builds on students' knowledge of epidemiologic principles and health needs in humanitarian emergencies. It takes an applied epidemiological approach covering four essential components to sexual and reproductive health in complex humanitarian emergencies: program management, monitoring, and evaluation; policy and advocacy; and emerging issues and methods. The course will use a mix of lectures, discussions, and applied learning exercises to discuss how humanitarian conflict affects sexual and reproductive health outcomes, key guidelines and program priorities in the field, and areas of innovation and knowledge gaps.

Malnutrition during humanitarian emergencies, including acute malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies, is very common. This course will discuss how organizations decide when, what type, and how much food to distribute during crisis. It also will address other programs that are used to prevent malnutrition, how organizations concerned with nutrition evaluate nutritional status in individuals and populations and the various types of feeding programs that are implemented in emergency situations. The course will include practical field exercises on nutrition as well as visits by guest practitioners from the field.

The objective of the course is to encourage and facilitate improved risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) during public health emergencies among public health authorities and partner organizations through the building of RCCE core capacities.

This course covers the essential principles of emergency preparedness and planning in the international context. Students will become familiar with strategic planning, operational planning, contingency planning, standard operating procedures, and exercises. The common pitfalls and challenges of emergency preparedness and planning will be discussed. Students will have the opportunity to review and critique existing emergency plans and exercises.