Course Syllabus

COURSE SYLLABUS (STUDENTS COPY)

BIOSTATISTICS AND EPIDEMIOLOGY

COLLEGE

MLS

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course is designed to provide Medical Laboratory Science students with basic understanding of the principles of data collection, presentation and elementary analysis. Moreover, to develop students with knowledge of the basic epidemiological principles and methods in identification and control of diseases as well as its application in health science and public health.

The course includes both cognitive and psychomotor development through the utilization of appropriate techniques, tools, and methods in measuring health and disease factors that could be identified to influence the occurrence and distribution of health and disease. The course includes laboratory session that will provide an avenue for practical application as well as determination of epidemiological cases, outbreaks, and even pandemic.

COURSE OUTCOMES (CO):

At the end of the course, the learner must be able to:

CO1: Explain extensively biostatistics with regards to its application to  health sciences

CO2: Differentiate appropriately the various sampling designs correctly and discuss their applications in the health sciences

CO3: Compute and interpret correctly the different measures used in describing and summarizing quantitative information specifically the measures of central tendency, dispersion, and location

CO4: Compute and interpret correctly the commonly used health indicators.

CO5: Properly organize and present data in their proper form

CO6: Apply basic concepts of statistical inferences

C07: Describe properly the general pattern of disease

CO8: Describe properly the inter-relationships of host, agent, and environmental factors with regards to causation of disease

CO9: Identify completely the different prevention and control measures based on the results of epidemiologic investigations

UNIT OUTCOMES (UO)

At the end of the session, students already have:

UO1: Differentiate specifically biostatistics and epidemiology and explain their scope.

UO2: Apply holistically the basic concepts of statistical inference and generate hypothesis.

UO3: Describe completely the history of epidemiology and its importance and identify the epidemiologic measurement and disease causation.

UO4: Differentiate specifically the concepts of  epidemiological study, design and analysis.

UO5: Discuss confidently the concept of  disease epidemiology and describe completely the process of outbreak investigation

UO6: Enumerate completely the different strategies in Prevention and Control of Diseases.

COURSE CODE

BIOE211

DESCRIPTIVE TITLE

BIOSTATISTICS AND EPIDEMIOLOGY

PREREQUISITE (S)

CPHM121

COURSE COVERAGE

1

1.   Compare clearly the Mission and Vision Statement.

2.   Identify distinctly the purpose and inclusion of the Vision and Mission Statement.

3.   Define and understand openly the importance of Biostatistics

4.   Describe correctly the phenomenon of variability

5.   Differentiate basic concepts in Biostatistics.

6.   Define clearly data processing

7.   Enumerate systematically the steps and rules in coding

8.   Describe briefly the process of preparing a coding manual

Mission- Vision, Core Values  of   the Institution

Objectives setting

Nature of Biostatistics

Data Processing

LABORATORY

·         Vision and Mission Writing

·         Determination of Core Values

2

1.   Competently identify and explain the sampling techniques

2.   Know the difference between population and Sample correctly

3.   Compute for the sample size accurately

4.   Explain and discuss data presentation in terms of purpose and importance

5.   Enumerate correctly the essential components of a table

6.   Discuss the meaning of graphs correctly

7.   Correctly enumerate the advantages and disadvantages of graphical presentation of data

8.   Identify and appreciate effectively the graphs to use for a given data

9.   Discuss the different graphs with regards to its description and function

Principles of Sampling

Tabular and Graphical Presentation of Data

LABORATORY:

·         Conduct a simulated survey where data will be collected and presented, and generate descriptive statistics

·         Using the data collected from the previous exercise, construct tables and graphs for data presentation

3

1.   Identify and describe correctly the different measures of central tendency and dispersion

2.   Describe the purpose of the summary measures which includes: the mean, median, mode, range, variance, standard deviation, and coefficient of variation

3.   Compute and interpret accurately the measures of central tendency, dispersion and location.

Measures of Central Tendency

Measures of Dispersion

Measures of Location

LABORATORY:

·         Using the data collected from the previous exercise, compute for the different measures of central tendency, dispersion, and location

4

1.   Enumerate correctly the uses of Health indicators

2.   Discuss clearly the uses, advantages, and limitations of the various health indicators

3.   Compute and interpret accurately the commonly used health indicators

4.   Define clearly demography

5.   Differentiate distinctly the three main foci of demography

6.   Identify and explain correctly the different methods of estimating and projecting population

Health Indicator

A.      Mortality Indicators

B.       Morbidity Indictors

Demography

Population Estimation

LABORATORY:

·         Case Study and Computation

5

1.   Clearly define a normal distribution

2.   Identify distinctly the characteristics of a normal distribution

3.   Describe and understand clearly the importance of a normal distribution in the normal density function

4.   Correctly outline a normal distribution curve

5.   Compute correctly the standard normal distribution

6.   Understand clearly the basics of hypothesis testing

7.   Differentiate correctly null and alternative hypothesis

8.   Understand clearly the significance levels

9.   Competently generate a null and alternative hypothesis

Normal Distribution

Hypothesis Testing

LABORATORY:

·         Laboratory exercise and computation.

6

PRELIMINARY EXAMINATIONS

7

1.   Define clearly the vital terms related to inferential statistics

2.   Enumerate correctly the properties of the sampling distribution of the mean

3.   Compute and interpret accurately the pointy confidence intervals of the mean

4.   Describe thoroughly the function of each statistical test

5.   Competently generate hypothesis, compute and interpret statistical data using each test

Introduction to Statistical Inference

Summary of the Different Basic Statistical Tests (I)

LABORATORY:

·         Laboratory exercise and computation.

8

1.   Describe clearly the uses of parametric multiple comparisons tests

2.   Describe thoroughly the function of parametric multiple comparisons tests

3.   Competently generate hypothesis, compute and interpret statistical data using each test

Summary of the Different Basic Statistical Tests (II)

LABORATORY:

·         Laboratory exercise and computation.

9

1.   Distinguish and explain efficiently the difference between parametric and nonparametric test

2.   Calculate and interpret  correctly the test of difference such as Kruskal Wallis & Friedman test

3.   Calculate and interpret correctly the test of correlation such as Pearson r, test of independence such as Chi-square, and test of reliability (validity) such as Cronbach alpha.

4.   List correctly the assumption of Mcnemars test

5.   Conduct correctly nonparametric test and explain its applications

Summary of the Different Basic Statistical Tests (III)

LABORATORY:

·         Laboratory exercise and computation.

10.

1.   Describe correctly the history of epidemiology

2.   Discuss appropriately the importance of epidemiology

3.   Describe clearly the different models for disease causation

4.   Identify specifically the different sources of epidemiologic data

5.   Describe thoroughly the quality, utility, and comparability of the different data sources

Introduction and Basic Concepts of Epidemiology

Natural History of Disease

Sources of Data

LABORATORY:

Identify (2) sources of data of epidemiologic data from the library or from other sources and identify the following:

·         Classify data as raw or processed

·         identify original source of data if its processed

·         If raw, reproduce the page of the data

·         Discuss the strengths and limitations of the data source

11

1.   Explain exhaustively the different sources for variation of measurements

2.   Describe distinctly the components of validity

Strategies in Epidemiology

Measurements and Errors of Measurements

Assessing Evidence of Disease Causation

LABORATORY:

·         Case study and computation on determination of sensitivity and specificity of  screening tests

12

MIDTERM EXAMINATIONS

13

1.   Explain thoroughly the definition, characteristics, uses, advantages, and limitations of descriptive study designs

2.   Differentiate distinctly cross-sectional from case-control studies

3.   Describe clearly the strengths and limitations of both studies

4.   Compute and interpret properly the results of analytic tests for cross-sectional & case-control studies

Descriptive Study Design

Cross-Sectional Study Design

Case-Control Study Design

LABORATORY:

·         Analysis and Interpretation of Case Studies for cross-sectional & case-control studies

14

1.   Describe clearly the general features of cohort study design.

2.   Differentiate correctly cohort study design from other analytic study designs.

3.   Explain thoroughly the difference between prospective from retrospective cohort study design.

4.   Competently execute and interpret analysis of data from cohort studies.

5.   Describe accordingly the use of an experimental study design

6.   Enumerate correctly the types of an experimental study design

7.   Define briefly causal inference

8.   Enumerate accurately the criteria in making a causal inference

Cohort Study Design

Experimental Study Design

Causal Inference

LABORATORY:

·         Analysis and Interpretation of Case Studies for cohort & experimental studies

15

1.   Define correctly screening and its role in Medical Laboratory Science and Public Health

2.   Differentiate accurately the various types of screening.

3.   Define correctly public health surveillance.

4.   Describe appropriately the criteria for selecting health events for public health surveillance

5.   Enumerate specific examples of various surveillance systems in the Philippines

Screening

Surveillance

LABORATORY:

·         Case study and computation of net sensitivity and net specificity of screening tests. Interpretation of graphs for surveillance.

16

1.   Discuss clearly the principles of Communicable and Non-Communicable Disease

2.   Describe thoroughly the developments in the detection and control of Communicable and Non-Communicable Disease

3.   Discuss specifically the elements of research ethics

4.   Discuss in depth the different ethical guidelines for research

5.   Describe clearly the elements of informed consent

Epidemiology of Communicable Diseases

Epidemiology of Non-Communicable Diseases

Ethics in Research

LABORATORY:

·         Draft a research which will utilize human samples and construct a  sample informed consent form

17

1.   Describe clearly the process of outbreak investigation

2.   Enumerate chronologically the steps in outbreak investigation

3.   Differentiate distinctly the difference between prevention and control

4.   Enumerate exhaustively the different strategies in prevention and control of diseases

Outbreak Investigation

Prevention and Control

LABORATORY:

·         Film Showing regarding Outbreak and submission of a reaction paper.

18

FINAL EXAMINATIONS

REFERENCES (BOOKS/ONLINE WEBSITES/JOURNALS)

Books:

• Gordis, Leon (2016). Epidemiology, 5th ed. Singapore : Elsevier. 614.4 G65 2016,c12
• Celentano, David and Szklo, Moyses (2019). Gordis Epidemiology, 6^th Edition. (pp. 36-38) Philadelphia: Elsevier Inc.
• Marcelo Pagano et. al. Principle of Biostatistics. 2nd ed. CRC Press: Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. 2018
• Antony Stewart. Basic Statistics and Epidemiology. A Practical Guide. 4th ed. CRC Press Taylor & Francis Group. 2016
• Thomas Glover et. al. An Introduction to Biostatistics. 3rd ed. Waveland Press Inc. 2016
• Kenneth Rothman et. al., Modern Epidemiology. 3rd edition. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. 2008

E-journals:

Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health: 

Spatial and Spatio-temporal Epidemiology:

Websites:

Department of Health Epidemiology Bureau website:  https://www.doh.gov.ph/nec-orgchart (Links to an external site.) 

World Health Organization Global Health Observatory website: https://www.who.int/gho/publications/world_health_statistics/en/ (Links to an external site.) 

GRADING SYSTEM

The final grade of the student is interpreted as shown on the table below:

AVERAGE

ABOVE 97.00

95.00 – 97.00

94.00

90.00 - 93.00

86.00 - 89.00

83.00 – 85.00

80.00 - 82.00

76.00 - 79.00

75.00

74.00 and below

FINAL GRADE

1.00

1.25

1.50

1.75

2.00

2.25

2.50

2.75

3.00

5.0

FDA (Failure due to Absences)               UW   (Unauthorized Withdrawal)                             INC (Incomplete)

AW (Authorized withdrawal)                  NFE (No Final Examination)

Prelims (20%); Midterms (20%); Finals (20%); Assessment Tasks (quizzes, laboratory) (35%); Capstone/Term Paper (5%)