HSCS 5100 Epidemiology and Biostatistics

This graduate level introductory course introduces the basic concepts of epidemiological and biostatistical principles, concepts, and procedures for the surveillance and investigation of health-related states or events. Emphasis is placed on the principles and methods of collecting data and analyzing disease incidence and prevalence to provide analyses leading to effective interventions and preventions. Topics include the dynamic behavior of disease; usage of rates, ratios and proportions; methods of direct and indirect adjustment, and clinical life tables which measure and describe the extent of disease problems. Various epidemiologic study designs for investigating associations between risk factors and disease outcomes are also introduced, culminating with criteria for causal inferences. The application of these disciplines in the areas of health services, screening, injuries, psychiatric disorders, social inequities, genetics, and environment policy are presented. The influence of epidemiology and biostatistics on legal and ethical issues are also discussed.

Credits

3

Prerequisite

ATRG or HLHP Program Admission

Offered

Demorest Campus: fall

Student Learning Outcomes

Alignment	Current Objective
CIP-3	Develop, implement, and monitor prevention strategies for at-risk individuals (e.g., persons with asthma or diabetes, persons with a previous history of heat illness, persons with sickle cell trait) and large groups to allow safe physical activity in a variety of conditions. This includes obtaining and interpreting data related to potentially hazardous environmental conditions, monitoring body functions (e.g., blood glucose, peak expiratory flow, hydration status), and making the appropriate recommendations for individual safety and activity status.
1.2.0	Students will access existing information and data related to health.
Practical/applied 4.C. 4.A.	Students will administer goal-specific test protocols and procedures to ensure reliable data collection, and interpret the results to design a training program for strength, endurance, cardiorespiratory fitness, flexibility, and/or body composition.
4.2.14 4.2.7 4.2.9	Students will apply ethical principles to the research process, including when choosing the research design, determining instrument suitability, identifying participants, and completing data analysis.
1.6.4	Students will assess social, environmental, political, and other factors that may impact health education/promotion and the known capacity for providing necessary programming/interventions.
6.1.0 6.1.3	Students will assess target population needs for health-related information, identify valid information and evaluate it for accuracy, relevance, and timeliness, adapt the information to fit the consumer, and convey it in an appropriate way.
4.6.7	Students will compare research data to other studies or evaluations and use the findings to draw conclusions, propose possible explanations, and develop recommendations.
4.2.3 4.2.5	Students will conduct a search for literature related to their research topic and analyze and synthesize information found to develop research questions and/or hypotheses and assess the feasibility of conducting a study.
TI-5	Students will describe and differentiate between the physiological and pathophysiological responses to inflammatory and non-inflammatory conditions and their influence on the design, implementation, and progression of a therapeutic intervention across the lifespan.
PHP-3	Students will describe components of a preparticipation physical examination as recommended by contemporary guidelines and its role in identifying modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors related to injury and illness.
PHP-1 PHP-4	Students will describe the concepts (case definitions, incidence versus prevalence, exposure assessment, rates) and uses of injury and illness surveillance and outcome measures relevant to athletic training and use the resulting data to assess an injury/illness prevention strategy.
Practical/applied 3.C.	Students will determine the policies and procedures associated with the safe operation of the strength and conditioning facility (e.g., facility/equipment cleaning and maintenance, rules, scheduling, emergency procedures).
Practical/applied 3.B.	Students will determine the primary duties and responsibilities of strength and conditioning staff.
1.2.4 1.2.6	Students will determine the validity of existing data and identify potential gaps.
4.2.0 4.2.10	Students will develop a research plan which includes: creating statement of purpose, developing sampling and data collection procedures, planning for non-respondent follow-up, and assessing the overall feasibility of conducting the research.
1.3.3	Students will develop data collection procedures and train personnel to assist in data collection.
2.2.5	Students will develop vision, mission, and goal statements, including the specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-sensitive objectives to meet them.
1.2.2	Students will establish collaborative relationships and agreements that facilitate access to data
5.2.2 5.2.3 5.2.0 5.2.4	Students will evaluate and use existing and emerging technologies to support health education/promotion programming/interventions, including to collect, store, and retrieve management data in an ethical manner.
PHP-2	Students will explain and calculate diagnostic accuracy concepts including reliability, sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratios, prediction values, and pre-test and post-test probabilities for selecting and interpreting physical examination and diagnostic procedures.
1.7.1	Students will identify current needs, available resources, and known capacity for health education programming/interventions, synthesize those assessment findings to prioritize needs, and develop and report recommendations.
1.6.2	Students will identify factors that enhance or impede health education/promotion programming and interventions, including determining the extent of available resources, related policies, and existing program effectiveness.
1.3.2 1.3.1 1.3.5 1.3.0	Students will identify potential data sources and instruments related to health, select appropriate qualitative and/or quantitative collection methods, and collect data for use in an assessment.
4.3.1 4.3.0 4.3.2 4.3.3	Students will identify, select, adapt, and/or create instruments to collect data which are fair, reduce bias, and use language appropriate to the priority population.
4.6.1 4.6.6 4.6.5	Students will synthesize analyzed data to interpret research results to explain how/if they support/refute the research question and/or hypotheses, to identify limitations, and to address any delimitations.
4.4.4	Students will use available technology to collect, monitor, and manage data based on the evaluation or research plan and in compliance with all laws and regulations protecting participants' rights.
PHP-5 PHP-6	Students will use evidence to determine the necessary precautions and risk factors associated with physical activity in persons with common congenital and acquired abnormalities, disabilities, and diseases that influence participation across the lifespan.
4.5.4 4.5.2 4.5.0	Students will use technology to prepare data for analysis using qualitative, descriptive, and/or inferential statistical methods.