Epidemiology

Epidemiology is a scientific discipline that can function as valuable tool to reach deeper insight in for example patterns of disease and their causes in the population, and also for prioritizations and decisions about medical and social conditions. In this manner, epidemiology can also be seen as a methodological approach in the service of public health. The focus of the course is on understanding of basic concepts of epidemiology, and on methods within epidemiology.    The course begins with an overview of basic epidemiological theory and concepts, such as causality, bias and third variables. Methods and measures for calculation of frequencies of disease and measures of effect are brought up and applied in practical exercises, and epidemiological study designs are introduced and discussed. Thereafter, the fundamentals of epidemiological data analysis is presented as well as practiced in computer exercises using statistical software. In the end of the course various examples of epidemiology within research and public health practice are presented, and critical reading and academic writing of epidemiological papers are discussed.