Department of Public Health - Fall 2022

PUBH 600: Concepts and Methods of Epidemiology

College of Health Sciences

Course Information

Course title Concepts and Methods of Epidemiology

Course code PUBH-600
CRN 11317
Number of credit hours 3
Course classification (Core Curriculum/ Major Core/ Major Major Core Requirement
Supporting/ Major Elective Requirement)

Pre‐requisites None
Term and year Fall-2022
Primary instructor's name Dr. Hanan F. Abdul Rahim (HAR)
Course Teaching Assistant Mr. Mohamed Abdelhady Sherbash
Office location/ number Building I03 , Office 332

Office hours By appointment

Phone number 44033023 (HAR)

Email addresses Hanan.arahim@qu.edu.qa; msherbash@qu.edu.qa

Course schedule

Session Instructor Days Time Location

Lecture Hanan F. Abdul Rahim Sunday 5:00-7:50 pm Building H06 (CMED
Annex)- Room 113A

Course Description
This course will introduce students to foundational concepts, methods and applications of epidemiology. It
covers sources of data, morbidity and mortality measures, epidemiological study designs and critical appraisal
of epidemiological studies, epidemic investigation, causation and inference. Both basic methods and applications
to public health and health care will be covered in this course.

1
COURSE OBJECTIVES AND LEARNING OUTCOME MATRIX

1. Introduce fundamental concepts in epidemiology, including risk, association, causal inference, bias,
confounding, and interaction
2. Introduce students to basic epidemiological study designs and measures used to describe disease frequency, risk,
Course and the impact of prevention
Objectives
3. Compare descriptive and analytic epidemiology
4. Describe the applications and critical functions of epidemiology in public health and health care

1. Define the scope and objectives of epidemiology

2. Identify and summarize basic concepts and principles of epidemiology, including levels of prevention
3. Describe the role of epidemiology in public health practice by listing different areas in which public health professionals
utilize epidemiology
4. Describe the relationship between agent, host and environment and the significance of this relationship to infectious disease
epidemiology
5. Describe the basic steps in epidemic investigation
6. Identify the components of a surveillance system
7. Recognize the factors that influence quality of surveillance data
8. Define and interpret basic descriptive epidemiology measures such as prevalence, incidence, case fatality, mortality
9. Define and calculate the most common measures of morbidity and mortality
Course
10. Define the purpose of screening
Learning
11. Describe measures to assess the validity and reliability of screening and diagnostic tests
Outcomes
12. Compare measures of validity, including sensitivity and specificity
(CLOs)
13. Describe the use of positive and negative predictive values
14. Compare measures of reliability, including percent agreement and kappa
15. Explain the uses of different study designs (cross-sectional, cohort, case control, and randomized controlled trials),
identifying critical design issues and recognizing potential sources of bias in each design
16. Distinguish between association and causation in epidemiological studies
17. Recognize possible sources of bias in epidemiological studies, including information and selection biases
18. Identify measures to minimize different types of biases
19. Define confounding and interaction and explain their effects on the interpretation of study outcomes
20. Identify methods that can be used to address confounding at the design and analysis stages of a study
21. Demonstrate the ability to assess the validity of epidemiological studies at a basic level

Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) of this Program Learning Assessment Methods
course Outcomes (PLOs)

1. Introduce fundamental 1. Define the scope and objectives of Assignment 1

concepts in epidemiology, epidemiology
including risk, association, 2. Identify and summarize basic concepts Midterm &
causal inference, bias, and principles of epidemiology,
confounding, and interaction including levels of prevention Final Exam
3. Distinguish between association and PLO 2
causation in epidemiological studies Demonstrate
Relationship
4. Recognize possible sources of bias in knowledge of basic
of
epidemiological studies, including epidemiological
Course
information and selection biases designs and
Learning
5. Define confounding and interaction statistical methods
Outcomes to
and explain their effects on the
Program
interpretation of study outcomes
Learning
Outcome(s)

2. Introduce students to basic 1. Define and interpret basic descriptive PLO 2

epidemiological study designs epidemiology measures such as Demonstrate
and measures used to describe prevalence, incidence, case fatality, knowledge of basic Assignment 2
disease frequency, risk, and the mortality epidemiological
impact of prevention 2. Define and calculate the most common designs and Midterm &
measures of morbidity and mortality statistical methods
3. Explain the uses of different study Final Exam
designs (cross-sectional, cohort, case
control, and randomized controlled
2

3. Compare descriptive and
analytic epidemiology
4. Describe the applications and
critical functions of
epidemiology in public health
and health care
Specific Objectives per Unit:
trials), identifying critical design issues PLO EPI
and recognizing potential sources of Plan Design ,
bias in each design implement, analysis
4. Recognize possible sources of bias in and interpret
epidemiological studies, including epidemiological
information and selection biases studies
5. Identify measures to minimize
different types of biases
6. Define confounding and interaction
and explain their effects on the
interpretation of study outcomes
7. Identify methods that can be used to
address confounding at the design and
analysis stages of a study
8. Demonstrate the ability to assess the
validity of epidemiological studies at a
basic level
Distinguish between association and Assignment 2
causation in epidemiological studies
Midterm &
Recognize possible sources of bias in PLO EPI
epidemiological studies, including Plan Design , Final Exam
information and selection biases implement, analysis
and interpret
Define confounding and interaction and epidemiological
explain their effects on the interpretation of studies
study outcomes
1. Describe the role of epidemiology in
public health practice by listing Midterm &
different areas in which public health
professionals utilize epidemiology Final Exam
2. Describe the relationship between
agent, host and environment and the
significance of this relationship to
infectious disease epidemiology
3. Describe the basic steps in epidemic
investigation
4. Identify the components of a
surveillance system
5. Recognize the factors that influence
quality of surveillance data
6. Define the purpose of screening
7. Describe measures to assess the
validity and reliability of screening and
diagnostic tests
8. Compare measures of validity,
including sensitivity and specificity
9. Describe the use of positive and
negative predictive values
10. Compare measures of reliability,
including percent agreement and
kappa
3
Week Unit/ title Unit specific objectives Learning methods
(learning objectives are quoted from the relevant chapters of Gordis, L: Epidemiology (6th Edition,
2019) (with modifications)

Introduction To  Define the scope and objectives of epidemiology  Self-reading

Epidemiology 
 Introduce definitions and examples of primary, PowerPoint
1 secondary, and tertiary prevention presentation
 Illustrate, with examples, the historical role of  In-class discussion
epidemiology in effective prevention measures

2 The Dynamics of  Introduce concepts related to disease  PowerPoint

Disease Transition transmission using the epidemiologic approach to presentation
CD as a model  Supervised practical
Introduction to  Define important terms related to the occurrence exercise
Surveillance of disease in a population
 Calculate an attack rate and illustrate how it may
be used to measure person- to-person
transmission of disease
 Describe steps in an outbreak investigation and
introduce how cross-tabulation may be used to
identify the source

3 Measuring Health  Compare different measures of morbidity,  PowerPoint

and Disease: including incidence rates, cumulative presentation
prevalence and  Supervised practical
incidence, attack rates, prevalence, and
incidence exercise
person‐time at risk
 To discuss the interrelationship between
incidence and prevalence
 To describe limitations in defining the
numerators and denominators of incidence
and prevalence measurements.

4 Measuring Health  To compare different measures of mortality,  PowerPoint

and Disease: including mortality rates, case‐fatality, presentation
mortality and other  Supervised practical
proportionate mortality, and years of potential
measures exercise
life lost.
 To show when mortality can approximate
the risk of disease.
 To introduce issues that arise in comparing
mortality across two or more populations.
 To define, calculate, and interpret direct and
indirect age‐adjusted mortality rates.
 To introduce other measures of disease
impact.

4
5 Assessing the  Define the validity and reliability of  PowerPoint
Validity and screening and diagnostic tests presentation
Reliability of  Supervised practical
Diagnostic and  Compare measures of validity, including
exercises
Screening tests sensitivity and specificity
 Introduce positive and negative
predictive values
 Compare measures of reliability,
including percent agreement and kappa

5
6 Ecologic and Cross  To describe how ecologic studies are useful for  PowerPoint
sectional studies generating hypotheses. presentation
 To describe how ecologic study focuses on the  In-class examples and
discussion
comparison of groups rather than individuals
 To define an ecologic fallacy.
 To discuss the main characteristics, advantages
and disadvantages of ecologic and cross
sectional studies.

6&7 Randomized  To describe the important elements of PowerPoint

Control Trials randomized trials. presentation
(RCT) In-class examples and
 To define the purpose of randomization and discussion
of masking.
 To introduce design issues related to
randomized trials
 To illustrate the problems posed by
noncompliance in randomized trials.

8 Cohort Studies  To describe the design of a cohort  PowerPoint

study, and to distinguish it from a presentation
randomized trial.  In-class
examples
 To illustrate the cohort study design with two
and
important examples. discussion
 To discuss some potential biases in
cohort studies.

8 Case Control  To describe the design of case‐control  PowerPoint

study studies, including selection of cases and presentation
controls.  In-class
examples
 To discuss potential selection biases in
and
case‐ control studies. discussion
 To discuss information biases in case‐
control studies, including recall bias.
 To describe other issues in case‐control
studies, including matching and the use of
multiple controls.

6
9 MIDTERM EXAMINATION

10 Estimating Risk  To introduce and compare the relative  PowerPoint

and risk and odds ratio as measures of presentation
11  Supervised
association between exposure and
disease practical
exercises
 To calculate and interpret a relative risk
in a cohort study
 To calculate and interpret an odds ratio
in a cohort study and in a case-control
study and to describe when the odds
ratio is a good estimate of the relative
risk
 To calculate and interpret the
attributable risk for the exposed group
 To calculate and interpret the
population attributable risk
 To describe how attributable risk is
used to estimate the potential for
prevention

12 Association to  To present guidelines for judging  PowerPoint

Causation whether an association is causal presentation
 To define necessary and sufficient in  In-class
examples
the context of causation
and
discussion

7
12 and Bias, confounding,  To review some possible biases in  PowerPoint
13 and interaction epidemiologic studies, including presentation
selection bias and information bias.  In-class
examples
 To identify potential sources of bias,
and
which occur during study design, discussion
study. Implementation and during data
analysis.
 To define the term confounding,
Identify three criteria a variable must
fulfil to be a confounder in an
epidemiological study.
 To describe methods to control
confounding at the design and analysis
phases
WEEK 14: Review

Education Excellence Themes

Please choose the appropriate themes and demonstrate their adoption/implementation by quoting (using double quotes) the exact phrases
used to indicate their adoption in the text of (the course description, the course objectives, or proposed course learning outcomes). *The
themes “Digitally Enriched” and “Learner-Centric” are to be included in all courses. In addition, another prioritized theme out of the three
remaining themes is to be chosen based on the discipline and course level.

Themes Implemented Teaching Methods Course Learning Outcomes

 PPT slides
 Communication through BB
Digitally
 Use of epidemiological online
Enriched* Yes ☒ No ☐
resources and software (as
applicable)

Learner-  Individual and group class

Centric* exercise
Yes ☒ No ☐
Experiential
Yes ☐ No ☒
Entrepreneurial
Yes ☐ No ☒

22. Demonstrate the ability to assess the validity of

epidemiological studies at a basic level
 Students will critically appraise
Research-
peer reviewed articles
Informed Yes ☒ No ☐

Graduate Attributes
Supporting Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) Addressing the Supporting Competence(s)
Graduate
Competences
Attributes
CLO1 CLO2 CLO3 CLO4 CLO5 CLO6 CLO7 CLO8 CLO9 CLO10

8
 C1: Subject‐matter
mastery
C2: Critical‐thinking
skills
A1: Competent
C3: Problem‐solving
skills
C4: Research, and
Novel and Adaptive
Thinking
C5: Self-awareness
C6: Adaptability
A2: Life‐long
Learner C7: Adaptive
Thinking
C8: Desire for life-
long learning
C9: Cultured
C10: Effective
A3: Well communication
Rounded skills
C11: Awareness of
local and
international issues
C12: Embody the
Arabic‐Islamic
identity
C13: Embrace
A4: Ethically diversity
and Socially C14: Professional
Responsible and ethical conduct
C15: Civically
engaged
C16: Community and
Global Engagement
C17: Creativity and
innovation
C18: Collaborative
A5:
Entrepreneurial C19: Management
C20: Interpersonal
C21: Leadership
Supporting Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) Addressing the Supporting Competence(s)
Graduate
Competences
Attributes
CLO11 CLO12 CLO13 CLO14 CLO15 CLO16 CLO17 CLO18 CLO19 CLO20
C1: Subject‐matter
mastery
C2: Critical‐thinking
skills
A1: Competent
C3: Problem‐solving
skills
C4: Research, and
Novel and Adaptive
Thinking
C5: Self-awareness
A2: Life‐long C6: Adaptability
Learner
C7: Adaptive
Thinking

9
 C8: Desire for life-
long learning
C9: Cultured
C10: Effective
A3: Well communication
Rounded skills
C11: Awareness of
local and
international issues
C12: Embody the
Arabic‐Islamic
identity
C13: Embrace
A4: Ethically diversity
and Socially C14: Professional
Responsible and ethical conduct
C15: Civically
engaged
C16: Community and
Global Engagement
C17: Creativity and
innovation
C18: Collaborative
A5:
Entrepreneurial C19: Management

C20: Interpersonal

C21: Leadership

10
Delivery methods:
The course will be delivered through a combination of active learning strategies. These will include:
o PowerPoint lectures and active classroom based discussion
o Collaborative learning through small groups working together on practical problems.
o Web‐based learning through Blackboard and relevant on-line resources

References and Learning Resources

Required Textbook:
Gordis L. Epidemiology. 6th edition (Elsevier, 2019) ISBN: 978‐0-323-55229-5

Useful Web Resources:

- Epidemiology for the uninitiated (BMJ): https://www.bmj.com/about-bmj/resources-

readers/publications/epidemiology-uninitiated
- Dicker RC, Coronado F, Koo D, Parrish RG. Principles of epidemiology in public health practice; an introduction to applied
epidemiology and biostatistics (updated 2011): https://www.cdc.gov/csels/dsepd/ss1978/index.html (pdf available for
free download)
- Catalogue of Bias (Center for Evidence-based Medicine): https://catalogofbias.org/
- The Supercourse: epidemiology, the Internet and global health : a free library of over 3,500 lectures in 26 languages used
all over the world.

Course Schedule/Outline/Calendar of Measures

Week Date Lecture Topic Planned

st Syllabus Overview
1 21 August Syllabus posted on BB
2022 Introduction To Epidemiology Chapter 1
(self-reading)

2 28th August The Dynamics of Disease Transition Chapter 2 (pre-read before

2022 Introduction to Disease Surveillance class)
Chapter 3: 41-44

3 4th Sept. Measuring Health And Disease: Prevalence and Chapter 3: 44‐62
2022 Incidence

4 11th Sept. Measuring Health and Disease: Mortality and Chapter 4

2022 other Measures of Disease Impact

5 18th Sept. Assessing the Validity and Reliability of Diagnostic Chapter 5

2022 and Screening tests

11
6 25th Sept. Observational Studies Chapters 7 and 8
2022 Cohort Studies

7 2nd Oct. Assignment 1: In-class graded exercise

2022
Comparing Cohort and Case-control Studies Chapter 9
8 9th Oct. 2022 Randomized Trials Chapters 10 and 11

9 16th Oct. Mid-term Examination

2022
10 23rd Oct. Estimating The Risk And Associations Chapter 12
2022
11 30th Oct. Further Risk Estimation: Estimating the potential Chapter 13
2022 for prevention
12 6th Nov.
2022 Association to Causation Chapters 14 and 15

Bias, Confounding and Interaction I

th Bias, Confounding and Interaction II
13 13 Nov. Chapter 15
2022

14 TBD Assignment 2 DUE

REVIEW

Jan 08 2023 – FINAL EXAMS

Jan 19 2023

12
Course Calendar and Assessment
Students will be graded through the following means of assessment and their final grade will be calculated from the
forms of assessment as listed below with their grade weighting taken into account. The criteria for grading are listed
at the end of the syllabus

Assessment Grade Weighting (%) Deadline Assessment

Quizzes/mini-
assignments/class 10 TBA throughout the semester
activities
Assignment I 15 October 2nd, 2022

Midterm Exam 25 October 16th, 2022

Assignment II 15 November 12th, 2022

Final Exam (cumulative) 35 Exam Week

(Jan 08 2023 – Jan 19 2023);
Exact date TBA
Total 100

Evaluation Procedures and Grading Criteria

Grades are not negotiable and are awarded according to the following criteria:

Letter Grade Graduate Percentage Grade Points

A Excellent 90‐100 4.00
B+ Very Good 85‐<90 3.50
B Very Good 80‐<85 3.00
C+ Good 75‐<80 2.50
C Good 70‐<75 2.00
F Fail <70 0.00
TC Transfer credit
W Withdrawal
WF Forced Withdrawal
Au Audit

13
Academic support

The University Student Learning Support Center (SLSC) provides academic support services to male and female
students at QU. The SLSC is a supportive environment where students can seek assistance with academic
coursework, writing assignments, transitioning to college academic life, and other academic issues. SLSC programs
include: Peer Tutoring, the Writing Lab, Writing Workshops, and Academic Success Workshops. Students may also
seek confidential academic counseling from the professional staff at the Center.

Students Support and Learning Resources

Contact
Information:
Tel: (00974) 4403 3876
Fax: (00974) 4403 3871
Location: Female Student Activities Building
E‐mail: learningcenter@qu.edu.qa

It is Qatar University policy to provide educational opportunities that ensure fair, appropriate and reasonable
accommodation to students who have disabilities that may affect their ability to participate in course activities or
meet course requirements. Students with disabilities are encouraged to contact their Instructor to ensure that their
individual needs are met. The University through its Special Need section will exert all efforts to accommodate for
individuals’ needs.

Special Needs
Section:

Contact
Information:

Female: (00974) 4403 3843

Male: (00974) 4403 3854
Location: Student Activities building
Email: specialneeds@qu.edu.qa

COURSE REGULATIONS

Participation
Class participation and attendance are important elements of every student’s learning experience at Qatar
University, and the student is expected to attend all classes. A student should not miss more than 25% of the classes
during a semester. Those exceeding this limit of 25% will receive a failing grade regardless of their performance. It
is a student’s responsibility to monitor the frequency of their own absences. Attendance record begins on the first
day of class irrespective of the period allotted to drop/add and late registration. It is a student’s responsibility to
sign‐in; failure to do so will result in a non‐attendance being recorded.

In exceptional cases, the student, with the instructor’s prior permission, could be exempted from attending a class
provided that the number of such occasions does not exceed the limit allowed by the University. The instructor will
determine the acceptability of an absence for being absent. A student who misses more than 25% of classes and has
a valid excuse for being absent will be allowed to withdraw from the course.
 Academic Violations

Plagiarism is considered a serious academic offence and can result in your work losing marks or being failed. QU
expects its students to adopt and abide by the highest standards of conduct in their interaction with their professors,
peers, and the wider University community. As such, a student is expected not to engage in behaviours that
compromise his/her own integrity as well as that of Qatar University.

Plagiarism includes the following examples and it applies to all student assignments or submitted work:

Use of the work, ideas, images or words of someone else without his/her permission or reference to
them.
Use of someone else's wording, name, phrase, sentence, paragraph or essay without using quotation
marks.
Misrepresentation of the sources that were used.

Definitions of academic dishonesty categories and their respective penalties are detailed in the Graduate
Catalogue, which will govern any and all instances of academic dishonesty encountered in this course

Late or Missed
Assignments

 Students who fail to attend the midterm or final exam without prior permission and/or are unable to
provide a medical note, will automatically receive a fail grade for the missed exam.

 In cases where a student misses an assessment because of a medical reason or with prior permission
in line with University regulations, an incomplete grade for the specific assessment will be awarded and
an alternative assessment or extension can be arranged.

 Submitting assignments on time is a key part of the assessment process. Students who fail to submit their
work by the deadline specified will automatically receive a penalty decided by the instructor.

Student Complaints
Policy
Students at Qatar University have the right to pursue complaints related to faculty, staff, and other students. The
nature of the complaints may be either academic or non-academic. For more information about the policy and
processes related to this policy, you may refer to the Graduate Catalogue 2018-2019 available at
http://www.qu.edu.qa/static_file/qu/students/documents/graduate-catalog-2018-2019.pdf

“The course instructor may modify the assessment methods and weights in the event that the university shifts
instruction from distance teaching to regular on-campus teaching or vice versa, in a way that does not harm the
educational process or the interest of students.”