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Epidemiology

Code: 102949
Credits: 3
2026/2027
Degree programme Type Course
Medicine OB 3

Contact lecturer

Name :
Xavier Bonfill Cosp
Email :
xavier.bonfill@uab.cat

Teaching staff

Maria Jose Martinez Zapata
Maria Teresa Puig Reixach
Maria Montserrat Martin Baranera
Ivan Sola Arnau
Ignasi Bolibar Ribas
Gerard Urrutia Cuchi

Group languages

You can consult this information at the end of the document.

Prerequisites

Know the principles, methods and applications of biostatistics, and the basic notions of the mechanisms of disease production.

Objectives

The subject is a program for the third year of the Medical Degree and is intended for the different hospital teaching units.
 
The subjects of Epidemiology, Preventive Medicine and Public Health are taught to the Teaching Units respectively in the third and fifth years. Ambdues assignments constitute the dues complementary parts of a subject matter, Public Health. If the first emphasizes the methodological and analytical aspects, the second delves into the determinants of health and preventive and sanitary interventions.
 
Epidemiology is the science that studies the distribution and determinants of diseases in the population there and evaluates the effect of clinical and health interventions. The goal of the program is to understand the foundations of epidemiological reasoning, to know how to apply epidemiological methodology to the problems of public health, clinical and community medicine, and research, thereby understanding health and malaria as the result of biological, social and cultural processes.

The main objectives are: to observe, define, and quantify community health problems; to understand the causes of diseases; to explain local patterns of disease; to describe the natural history of disease; to design and evaluate action measures to reduce the burden of health problems; and to assess the evidence (etiological, preventive, and therapeutic) for health problems.

 The objectives of this course focus on the acquisition of competencies and skills related to epidemiological measures and designs, and on learning scientific and epidemiological reasoning (through critical reading exercises of scientific articles, and the formulation and resolution of clinical, research, and public health problems).

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Learning outcomes

  1. Assess the health needs of the population.
  2. Interpret health indicators.
  3. Identify the main activities of health promotion and disease prevention.
  4. Describe the role of vaccines in community health.
  5. Address health problems through collective interventions for the promotion, protection and prevention, and restoration of health and assess their impact.
  6. Interpret the processes of planning, scheduling and assessment in health programmes.
  7. Identify principles of environmental health, workplace health and food health.
  8. Describe health planning and administration at Spanish, European and regional level.
  9. Identify the international health organisations at Spanish, European and regional level.
  10. Enumerate the main world health problems and their preventive measures.
  11. Analyse the national and international systems of epidemiological surveillance.
  12. Differentiate between the levels of healthcare.
  13. Evaluate the healthcare quality system and patient-safety strategies.
  14. Explain the economic and social implications of medical intervention, using criteria of effectiveness and efficiency.
  15. Differentiate between the factors associated with inequalities and, in particular, with gender issues in public health research and practice.
  16. Apply methodologies to identify determinants of gender and other factors associated with health inequalities in the design and interpretation of epidemiological studies and health programmes.
  17. Describe the processes of health/illness and their determining factors from the population perspective.
  18. Value the principles and apply the methods of preventive medicine and public health.
  19. Maintain and sharpen one's professional competence, in particular by independently learning new material and techniques and by focusing on quality.
  20. Be able to work in an international context.
  21. Formulate hypotheses and compile and critically assess information for problem-solving, using the scientific method.
  22. Communicate clearly, orally and in writing, with other professionals and the media.
  23. Use information and communication technologies in professional practice.

Contents

CLASS (TE)
TOPIC


C1 Introduction to epidemiology. Epidemiological surveillance. Clinical epidemiology


C2 Frequency measurements.


C3 Measures of effect.


C4 Impact measures.



C5 Measurement of survival.


C6 Epidemiological designs. The causality.


C7 Descriptive designs and observational designs.


C8 Intervention studies. Ethical principles of medical research.


C9 Gradation of the evidence. Reviews of the evidence and meta-analysis.


C10 Epidemiology of communicable diseases.


C11 Epidemiology of chronic diseases.


C12 Diagnostic tests.



SEMINAR (1 h) (PA)
TOPIC


S1 Big milestones in epidemiology: Snow, Bradford-Hill, Framingham study, Doll e Hill study, health surveys.


S2 Frequency measurements.


S3 Measures of effect.


S4 Impact measures. Dose-response relationships. Stratification.


S5 Approach of descriptive and observational studies (a descriptive study, a case-control study).


S6 Approach to intervention studies (a clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy of a medicine, a community trial to evaluate the efficacy of a vaccine).


S7 Validity. Random errors. Bias Analysis of data from a study.


S8 Critical reading of a scientific article.


SCC (1 h)


TOPIC


E1 Diagnostic tests. Case


E2 Estimation of the effect of a factor (descriptive and observational studies). Case


E3 Estimating the effectiveness of an intervention (intervention studies). Case


E4 Systematic reviews and meta-analyzes. Casse

Learning activities and methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
CLASSROOM PRACTICES (PAUL) 8 0.32
READING OF ARTICLES / INTEREST REPORT 9 0.36
SPECIALIZED SEMINARS (SCC) 4 0.16
THEORY (TE) 12 0.48
PERSONAL STUDY 38 1.52


This guide describes the framework, content, methodology, and general rules of the course, in accordance with the current curriculum. The final organization of the course, with respect to the number and size of groups, distribution within the calendar and exam dates, specific evaluation criteria, and exam review procedures, will be determined by each hospital teaching unit. This information will be published on their websites and, on the first day of class for each course, will be communicated by the professor responsible for the course at the Hospital Teaching Unit.


For the current academic year, the professors designated by the departments as responsible for the subject at the Faculty and Teaching Unit levels are:

Department responsible:

Faculty Coordinator: Maria-Guadalupe Esteve Pardo

Teacher Unit Coordinators:

Vall d'Hebron Teaching Unit: Magdal Campins

Germans Trias i Pujol Teaching Unit: Irma Casas

Sant Pau Teaching Unit: Xavier Bonfill

Parc Taulí Teaching Unit: Gemma Navarro

Exceptionally, and at the discretion of the responsible professors, taking into account available resources and the health situation at any given time in the different Teaching Units, some of the content corresponding to the theoretical lessons, practical sessions, and seminars may be taught in person or virtually.


Annotation: within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Assessment

Continuous assessment activities

Title Weight Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Theory : Assessments written through objective tests. 45% 2 0.08 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 12, 18, 20, 23
Practice: Assessments written through objective tests. 45% 1 0.04 2, 8, 10, 14, 15, 16, 19, 21
Attendance and participation in classes and seminars 10% 1 0.04 1, 4, 11, 13, 17, 18, 22












Bibliography

Argimon JM, Jiménez J. Métodos de investigación clínica y epidemiológica. 4ª ed. Barcelona: Elsevier, 2012

 

Fletcher RH, Fletcher SW, Fletcher GS. Epidemiología clínica. Lippincott Williams and Wilkins. Wolters Kluwer Health, 2016. ISBN 9788416353910

 

Gordis L. Epidemiología, 5ª ed. Madrid: Harcourt, 2014.

 

Hernández-Aguado I., Lumbreras Lacarra B. Manual de Epidemiología y Salud Pública para Grados en Ciencias de la Salud.  3ª ed.  Madrid: Editorial Médica Panamericana, 2018.

 

Porta M (ed.). A Dictionary of Epidemiology. Sixth ed. New York:  Oxford University Press, 2014.

 

 

BIBLIOGRAFIA DE CONSULTA

         

Straus SE, Richardson WS, Glasziou P, Haynes BR. Medicina basada en la evidencia. Cómo practicar y enseñar la MBE. 3ª ed. Madrid: Elsevier, 2006.

Greenberg RS, Daniels SR, Flanders WD, Eley JW, Boring JR. Medical Epidemiology. 4ª ed. New York: Lange Medical Books/McGraw-Hill, 2005.

Rothman KJ. Epidemiology: An introduction. 2nd ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 2012.

Rothman KJ, Greenland S, Lash TL. Modern Epidemiology. 3ª ed. Philadelphia: Lipincott,2008.

 

 

RECURSOS D’INTERNET

˗          www.OpenEpi.com

˗          www.cdc.gov/epiinfo/

Software

Is not necessary

Course groups and languages

The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE