EHSC 4070/6070 Fundamentals of Epidemiology

Fall Semester 2004, TR 2:00 – 3:15 pm
Miller Plant Sciences, Room 2401

Professor:
Luke P. Naeher, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Environmental Health Science
150 Environmental Health Science Building
voice: 706-542-4104; fax: 706-542-7472
email: LNaeher@uga.edu

Overview
In this course students will learn the fundamentals of epidemiology. Areas of emphasis include the history and scope of epidemiology, practical applications of epidemiology, measures of morbidity and mortality used in epidemiology, descriptive epidemiology, sources of data for use in epidemiology, study designs (ecologic, cross-sectional, case-control, cohort, and experimental), measures of effect, data interpretation issues, screening for disease in the community, epidemiology of infectious disease, epidemiologic aspects of work and the environment, and molecular and genetic epidemiology. A series of case studies will be presented in class treinforce the tools learned in lecture and the text. The epidemiological analysis program EpiInffrom the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will alsbe introduced.

Class attendance
Attendance in class is expected.

WebCT
When MS PowerPoint presentations will be used in lecture, outlines of these lectures will be provided on WebCT the Wed of the week before they are presented in class. I will discuss this in class at the end of each week sthat you can prepare for the following week.

Office hours: Thursday 3:15-4:45 pm in 150 EHS building (or by appointment)

Textbook/readings:

Epidemiology for Public Health Practice, 3rd edition
Robert H. Friis, Tomas A. Sellers, Aspen Publication 2004
ISBN: 0-7637-3170-6, Can be purchased for $59.95 at Amazon.com or http://publichealth.jbpub.com/catalog/0763731706/
Other lecture-specific readings will be provided or put on WebCT.

Course requirements and grading:

Homework assignments 20% of grade
- Homework assignments will be due each Thu in class throughout the semester, except on days that we have an exam (9/23, 10/21, 11/23).
- These assignments will be assigned at least one week prior ttheir due date and will be posted on WebCT.
- These assignments will be collected at the start of class on the day that they are due.
- Late assignments will not be accepted for credit.
- We will review and grade the assignments as a class at the start of class on the day they are due.
Exam 1 (Thu Sep 23) 20% of grade
Exam 2 (Thu Oct 21) 20% of grade
Exam 3 (Tue Nov 23) 20% of grade
Final Exam (Tue Dec 14, 3:30-6:30pm) 20% of grade