Course Name: Epidemiology in Public Health Practice Course Number: EPI 306 Academic Program: General Education Section A: Istructor s Nae See Blackboard Virtual Office I. Istructor s Cotact Iforatio, Course Pre and Co-Requisites WCU Phone Number: See Blackboard Virtual Office WCU E-mail: See Blackboard Virtual Office Office location: See Blackboard Virtual Office Office hours: See Blackboard Virtual Office Course Prerequisites: None Course Co-requisites: None University Mission: Institutional Learning Outcomes: II. Mission and Outcomes At West Coast University, we embrace a student-centric learning partnership that leads to professional success. We deliver transformational education within a culture of integrity and personal accountability. We design market-responsive programs through collaboration between faculty and industry professionals. We continuously pursue more effective and innovative ways through which students develop the competencies and confidence required in a complex and changing world. Institutional learning outcomes are designed by the University as a whole, taking into account the role that both instruction and student services play i otriutig to a studet s suess. Istitutioal learning outcomes assume achievement of the stated programmatic learig outoes of oe s disiplie. Upo graduatig fro a degree program offered by West Coast University, students will be able to: 1. Implement intellectual and practical problem-solving skills through information assessment and critical thinking. 2. Demonstrate effective written communication skills. 3. Demonstrate effective oral communication skills. 4. Demonstrate computer proficiency and information literacy. 5. Describe ethical standards and legal guidelines associated with one's chosen career field. 6. Explain why knowledge of and respect for the societal contributions of diverse cultures and perspectives is an important quality in one's discipline. W e s t C o a s t U n i v e r s i t y C o u r s e S y l l a b u s Page 1
General Education Program Mission: General Education Program Philosophy: General Education Program Learning Outcomes: 7. Articulate the importance of working collaboratively with other healthcare providers in support of the client/patient. The General Education program provides students with a measureable, outcomes-based foundational education that not only integrates with and complements the chosen academic emphasis, but also transcends the major discipline. The General Education program prepares students to be competent and ethical problem solvers. They will be adept at demonstrating critical reasoning, scientific methodology, multidisciplinary inquiry, and communication skills that will enable them to make intellectually sound decisions that will embody a cultivated and deep appreciation for cultural diversity for the world in which they live. The General Education program prepares students to be responsible, informed, and ethical citizens, and to develop the dimensions of character needed to navigate, adapt, and succeed in an ever-changing complex world. The General Education curriculum challenges students to explore and analyze the dimensions of the human condition through an intellectually coherent, meaningful, and transformative foundational education. The General Education program is designed such that engagement in high-impact learning experiences, technology, and itegratie learig ill adae studets koledge ad skills i written and oral communications, critical reasoning, cultural diversity, scientific reasoning and innovation, quantitative reasoning, and technological and informational literacy. The achievement of General Education core competencies affords students the foundation to grow personally, professionally, and socially, and seek opportunities for lifelong learning. Following completion of the General Education curriculum, students will be able to: 1. Demonstrate competent written communication skills. o Demonstrate an understanding of creative, academic, and other professional written communication. o Demonstrate competence in written English communication through intensive, research-based practical application of basic and advanced writing principles. o Demonstrate the ability to organize, develop, and present coherent written work that reflects a strong command of English grammar, sentence mechanics, paragraph structure, and paper formatting, and be able to employ these competencies effectively in a range of writing. 2. Employ effective oral communication skills. o Demonstrate the ability to effectively apply verbal and W e s t C o a s t U n i v e r s i t y C o u r s e S y l l a b u s Page 2
o nonverbal communication in a range of academic and nonacademic settings. Demonstrate the ability to analyze and address usages of ethos, pathos, logical fallacies, audience reception, cultures of communication, language choice, nonverbal cues, effective listening, and speech delivery. 3. Interpret quantitative data using mathematical principles to effectively identify core issues and solve problems. o Demonstrate competence in quantitative reasoning by applying mathematical concepts and basic quantitative literacy to real-world applications. o Demonstrate the ability to effectively synthesize, analyze, and interpret mathematical data to draw inferences and connect findings to a range of other disciplines. 4. Illustrate competence in the biological, physical, and natural sciences. o Demonstrate an understanding of scientific concepts, theories, and principles. o Demonstrate an ability to analyze, interpret, and apply scientific theory and investigative methodologies through laboratory and practical experiences. o Demonstrate an effective connection of quantitative and critical reasoning to the biological, physical, and natural sciences. 5. Demonstrate technological and informational literacy by locating disparate information through multiple sources. o Demonstrate the effective use of a multidisciplinary and ethical approach to electronic and print information access, retrieval, analysis, and synthesis of general and specialized information. o Demonstrate the application of critical and quantitative reasoning skills to determine reliability and validity of information. 6. Analyze ideas and make decisions using critical thinking skills. o Demonstrate an understanding of how to differentiate and analyze critical reasoning, perception, cognitive development, decision making, emotional intelligence, deductive and inductive reasoning, and formal and informal logic. o Demonstrate an understanding, recognition, and construction of critical reasoning in relation to written W e s t C o a s t U n i v e r s i t y C o u r s e S y l l a b u s Page 3
o and spoken arguments. Demonstrate competence in the application of critical reasoning techniques to address real-world situations and issues. 7. Describe and interpret diverse perspectives, value systems, histories, cultural traditions, and artistic expressions. o Demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of the profound interconnectivity of diverse human behaviors, value systems, societies, cultures, and traditions. o Demonstrate an understanding of the impact of the complexities and interconnections of society and culture across a variety of historical and contemporary contexts. o Demonstrate the ability to explain how global culture and diversit ipat studets o alues, ethis, character, and judgment. 8. Articulate issues and arrive at a defensible conclusion, given a set of ethical dilemmas. o Demonstrate the ability to recognize contexts in which ethical dilemmas arise. o Demonstrate the ability to apply ethical values and principles to discipline-specific and other real-world situations. o Demonstrate the ability to delineate competing ethical claims in the process of articulating a values-based, critically reasoned defense. Term/Semester: Class Meeting Dates: Class Meeting Times: Class Meeting Location: Class Credit Hours: Class Required Texts, Learning Resources: Class Required Texts, Learning Resources from Previous term(s): Class Recommended Texts, Learning Resources: III. Course Information See Student Portal See Student Portal See Student Portal See Student Portal 3 semester credits (45 hours lecture) Gordis, L. (2014). Epidemiology (5th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier None What Is Epidemiology in Public Health? http://www.nwcphp.org/training/opportunities/onlinecourses/what-is- epidemiology-in-public-health About Epidemiology-VideoJug: http://www.videojug.com/topic/epidemio W e s t C o a s t U n i v e r s i t y C o u r s e S y l l a b u s Page 4
Course Catalog Description: Course Learning Outcomes: Course outcomes are comprised of the knowledge, skills, values and/or behaviors that students should be able to demonstrate upon completion of the course. Course outcomes map to the Program Learning Outcomes Must be assessed in the course to determine if learning outcomes are met Teaching and Learning Strategies: Updated per course reflecting the instructional strategies appropriate to the subject area. Examples: simulation laboratory, clinical experience, discussion, case studies, blended learning, online assignments, quizzes or other electronic teaching devices, lecture, guest speakers, community projects, class presentations, videos/dvd, kinesthetic learning activities. logy Outbreak at Water s edge: http://www.mclph.umn.edu/watersedge/index. html The Social determinants of health: http://www.euro.who.int/ data/assets/pdffile/0005/98438/e81384.pdf Covers principles and the practice of epidemiology, including surveillance, descriptive epidemiology, outbreak investigation, and analytic methods, with emphasis on field epidemiology. Focuses on the use of sound epidemiologic judgment, particularly when epidemiologic theory and practical considerations conflict. Students will be able to apply these principles to address public health problems in the community. Evaluate and critique current epidemiological findings based on knowledge of the scientific method. State the proposed association between the eposure (environmental, lifestyle, genetic, or other) and the disease being studied, and assess if the association between exposure and disease reflects a ausal relationship using critical thinking skills. The Discussion Board is designed to stimulate class dialog that would normally take place in a face-to-face setting. Participation in the Discussion Board serves as a learning strategy to help demonstrate your knowledge of the course content. To earn full weekly discussion credit, students are expected to comment on all prompts posed by the instructor and provide responses to classmates. Each Discussion Board post will be assessed using a rubric (under the My Grades menu item). In addition to reviewing the grading criteria in the rubric, please note the following expectations for Discussion Board posts: 1. Discussion posts must be completed during the week they are assigned. Discussion posts made in advance of the assigned week will not count toward your grade. If you wish to work ahead, please compose your responses in a Word document, then post when the week arrives. 2. Each week, you are required to submit a reply to each initial prompt and replies to your peers or instructors in the Discussion Board. The required posts are as follows: a. No later than Wednesday, 11:59 p.m. (Pacific Time) each week, you must respond to each initial prompt posted by the instructor. An automatic 10% deduction will be assessed for all late initial postings. Please note that there may be one or two initial prompts per week, depending on the W e s t C o a s t U n i v e r s i t y C o u r s e S y l l a b u s Page 5
course material. It is your responsibility to reply accordingly -ANDb. Throughout the week, and no later than the conclusion of each week, you must reply to a minimum of two (2) peers or instructors, per prompt although replying to more is highly encouraged. Replies must be made throughout the week to show active participation. 3. Any post made in the Discussion Board must be well-developed. a. A well-developed post is meaningful, shows relevance to the topic, and reflects your knowledge of the material. Welldeveloped posts demonstrate synthesis of the subject matter, extend the discussion by building on previous posts, and include proper source citations, when applicable. Posts limited to "I agree," "Great posting," or "Thank you" will not be assessed as well-developed, and will therefore not be considered a contribution to the number of required weekly posts. Formative Assessment of Student Learning: Examples -- Evidenced-based Research, presentations, Case Studies, Specific class projects, Weekly quizzes, homework assignments, clinical or lab assignments/assessment, practice exams Summative Assessment of Student Learning: Will not count more than 30% of final grade Examples Final Exam, Term Paper or Term Project Signature Assignment: A signature assignment is a course embedded assignment designed to comprehensively measure student achievement of the course learning outcomes. IV. Evaluation Methods, Grading Assignment/Assessments Due Date Points Formative Assessment Threaded Discussions (9 x 20 points each) Weeks 1-9 180 Quizzes (4 x 40 points each) Weeks 3, 4, 160 6, 7 Introductory Assignment Week 2 100 Signature Assignment SA: Citation Week 2 20 SA: Outline Week 4 25 SA: Rough Draft Week 6 75 Video Presentation Week 8 240 Summative Assessment Midterm Exam Week 5 100 Final Exam Week 9 100 Additional Information: Total: 1000 All assignments are to be submitted via the Blackboard online classroom. Student work submitted via email submission shall not be accepted. Grades and comments on graded items (assignments, discussions, and exams) will be posted in the Gradebook, unless otherwise specified. Any assignment (a paper or presentation) submitted for credit in one course may not be duplicated and submitted for credit in any other course. W e s t C o a s t U n i v e r s i t y C o u r s e S y l l a b u s Page 6
West Coast University Grading Scale (reflective of final course grade. See associated policy in Catalog) V. Policies and Procedures Grade Points WCU Grading Scale A 4 93-100 A- 3.7 90-92 B+ 3.3 87-89 B 3.0 83-86 B- 2.7 80-82 C+ 2.3 76-79 C 2.0 73-75 C- 1.7 70-72 D+ 1.3 66-69 D 1.0 63-65 D- 0.7 60-62 F 0.0 59 or below AU 0.0 Audit CR 0.0 Credit P 0.0 Pass NP 0.0 Not Passed I 0.0 Incomplete TC 0.0 Transfer Credit W 0.0 Withdrawal (Before Drop Deadline WF 0.0 Withdrawal (After Drop Deadline) Note: AU, CR, I, P, NP, TC, W, and WF are used on the Academic Record but have no point values and are not computed in the Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA). C is the iiu passig grade i the General Education Program. C+ is the iiu passig grade i oth the Nursing and Dental Hygiene Program. C* grade in core Nursing, and core Dental Hygiene courses reflect that the course has not been successfully completed. Grade Rounding: Attendance Policy: Academic Integrity Policy: P or "NP" are the grades issued for all Nursing Clinicals, Global Studies/Symposium, and Capstone courses (e.g. NURS 492 and NURS 493). At West Coast University, scores are not rounded to the whole number until the end of the term. All student assignments, quizzes, and examinations will be rounded to the first decimal point. At the end of the terms final course grades will be rounded to the nearest whole point. For programs that use the exam average to determine whether other course assignments are included in the final scoring (e.g., Nursing), the end-of-term exam average may be rounded (using the above rules) to make that determination. West Coast University has a clear requirement for students to attend courses. Studets should reie the Attedae Poli i the Academic Policies and Procedures setio of the University Catalog. Students are expected to approach their academic endeavors with the highest academic integrity. They must cite sources, and submit original work. Academic honesty is central to the institution/student partnership towards student success. W e s t C o a s t U n i v e r s i t y C o u r s e S y l l a b u s Page 7
Academic Dishonesty: Reasonable Accommodations: General Education Program Make-up Work Policy: Students are accountable for adhering to the Academic Integrity and Academic Dishonesty policies in University Student Handbook. Students should review the Academic Dishonesty Policy in University Student Handbook. West Coast University strives to provide reasonable accommodations to students who have a defined need and who follow the appropriate steps towards seeking the accommodation. The Reasonable Accommodations Policy is found in the University Catalog and University Student Handbook. Students are required to be present for all examinations (e.g., quizzes, tests, and exams). If an unexpected emergency situation occurs (e.g., death in the immediate family, sudden illness, or an accident), the student must notify the appropriate faculty member within twenty-four (24) hours of the date and time of the eaiatio of the pedig studet s asee. (This may be 24 hours prior to or 24 hours after the determined test date). If the student wishes to take a make-up examination (take the examination either earlier or later than the scheduled date for the examination), the student must complete and submit the Examination Date Change Request form, with the required supporting documentation, to the faculty member for that course. The faculty member will review and sign the request for a make-up examination prior to submitting the documentation to the Academic Dean for review and approval or denial of the request. The documentation must be submitted at the time of the request, and the decision made based upon the original request is final. The Academic Dean will make a determination regarding student eligibility to take an alternate form make-up examination. If the student is able to demonstrate extenuating circumstances (such as inclusion of healthcare provider documentation, copy of obituary notice or death certificate, or copy of police report for automobile accidents), the Academic Dean may permit an alternate form make-up examination. The student may earn up to 100% on this make-up examination based upon the review of the supporting documentation of the extenuating circumstances. Please note that prescheduled vacations, weddings, or discretionary participation in other activities are not considered extenuating circumstances. If the student is not able to provide acceptable documentation and/or the reason for the make-up examination request is not due to extenuating circumstances, the Academic Dean may permit the student to take an alternative make-up examination. However, the maximum score that the student may earn under these circumstances is 76%. Students who do not take the exam on the scheduled make-up date or who do not contact the instructor within 24 hours of missing the examination will receive a zero score for that assessment activity. The make-up examination must be taken within five (5) business days of the initial exam administration or before the date of the next class. The make-up examination shall NOT be the same examination, but shall be an alternative format such as an essay examination. The student must take the make-up examination in a proctored environment. W e s t C o a s t U n i v e r s i t y C o u r s e S y l l a b u s Page 8
Classroom Policies: Testing and Examination Policy: Additional General Education Program or Accreditation Requirements: Behavior that persistently or grossly interferes with classroom activities is considered disruptive behavior and may be subject to disciplinary action. A student responsible for disruptive behavior may be required to leave the class. The university testing policy stipulates that no phones or other electronic devices, food or drink, papers or backpacks can be taken into the examination area. Other restrictions/policies may apply in certain courses, as determined by the instructor. Any form of communication between students during the examination period is strictly forbidden. Results will be posted to Blackboard no later than one week after the exam. The instructor will review topics, key concepts and themes for learning improvement. The instructor will NOT review the examination item by item. All students are expected to meet class requirements as established by the instructor and outlined in the course syllabus. Students are required to submit each assignment no later than its published due date. If a student submits any assignment following the due date, the instructor may, at their discretion, deny acceptance of the assignment or award partial to full credit. No late work will be included in the final course grade when submitted in the last instructional week of the term/semester. Contact your instructor with any questions regarding course expectations. Late work for Online Students: Weekly discussion posts will be assessed according to the Discussion Board rubric in the My Grades area. Late postings that occur after Wednesday will reflect an automatic 10% point deduction. Discussion postings made after the week will not count toward the weekly discussion grade. Exams and assignments submitted after the due date will be penalized at 5% per day. Exams or late assignments will not be accepted more than 5 days after the due date unless preapproval from the instructor has been obtained in writing. Note due dates and times posted in the course. Be sure to contact the instructor if you believe you must submit an assignment after the due date. Contact with the instructor regarding late assignments after the allowable 5 days does not guarantee approval to submit the assignment outside this time frame. Approvals outside the 5 days are generally provided for extenuating circumstances only. Late work is not accepted after the last day of the course without prior approval from the instructor unless there are extenuating circumstances. Testing and Examinations for Online Students: Once started, exams or quizzes must be completed in one sitting. You will have one opportunity to take exams or quizzes unless otherwise notes. Do not leave the exam before clicking Save and Submit. To maintain academic integrity: All exams/quizzes are timed at 2 minutes per question. Exam questions will be released one question at a time. W e s t C o a s t U n i v e r s i t y C o u r s e S y l l a b u s Page 9
There is no backtracking permitted in an exam. There is only one attempt allowed per exam or quiz. Be sure to save and submit the exam when complete. After the exam results are made available, students may schedule reviews of their exams with their instructors. At that point, the instructor may review the test with students. This review is intended to help students learn, and is not intended for further distribution to other students. W e s t C o a s t U n i v e r s i t y C o u r s e S y l l a b u s Page 10
Section B: Course Outline Weekly Class objectives reflect the teaching activities that, if engaged in, are intended to lead to specific, measurable student learning outcomes as identified in Section II. Content outline provides the student with a course roadmap. Which topics are intended to be covered each week? Specific course activities outline the teaching strategies used. Student assignments identify the learning and assessment requirements that students are to fulfill throughout the duration of the course. Week/ Date Week 1 Weekly Course Learning Outcome Define epidemiology and its application in clinical practice. Explain epidemiological approach in the prevention of diseases. Identify the modes of transmission of diseases. Discuss the causes, types and determinants of disease outbreaks. Describe the steps in investigating disease outbreaks. Content Outline Specific Course Activity The Do the Reading Epidemiologic Approach to View the Lesson Disease Presentation. Prevention Test your knowledge by completing the Learning Activities. Submit assignments. Student Assignments Reading: Chapters 1, 2, 3 Discussion 1 Week 2 Examine the concepts of Morbidity and Mortality. Identify the methods of measuring Morbidity and Mortality. Explore how we use rates to express the extent of morbidity resulting from a disease. Measurin g Mortality and Morbidity Do the Reading View the Lesson Presentation. Test your knowledge by completing the Learning Activities. Reading: Chapters 4, 5 Discussion 2 Introductory Assignment SA: Citation Describe the roles of the principal and the agent in determining the demand for medical care. Submit assignments. Explain how one can express the extent of mortality in quantitative terms. W e s t C o a s t U n i v e r s i t y C o u r s e S y l l a b u s Page 11
Week 3 Identify the effectiveness of diagnostic and screening tests. Describe the biologic variations occur in human populations. Define validity of screening tests and the tests of continuous variables. Efficacy of Diagnosti c and Screening Tests Do the Reading View the Lesson Presentation. Test your knowledge by completing the Learning Activities. Reading: Chapter 6 Discussion 3 Quiz 1 Explain multiple tests. Submit assignments. Describe the predictive value of a test. Discuss the reliability of tests. Explain the relationship between validity and reliability. W e s t C o a s t U n i v e r s i t y C o u r s e S y l l a b u s Page 12
Week/ Date Week 4 Weekly Course Learning List the criteria in the selection of subjects for clinical trials. Describe randomization and its results when applied to a study group. Discuss the other variables involved in a study like data collection, cross-over, and noncompliance. Content Outline Specific Course Activity Student Assignments Efficacy of Do the Reading Reading: Chapters 7, Preventive 8 and View the Lesson Therapeutic Presentation. Measures Test your knowledge by completing the Learning Activities. Submit assignments. Discussion 4 Quiz 2 SA: Outline Week 5 Examine the concepts of Prognosis. Identify the different approaches in Prognosis. Explain Case Fatality Rate and Persons-Years. Explore Life Tables and their uses. Describe Five- Year Survival Rate and their drawbacks. Ways of Expressing Prognosis Do the Reading View the Lesson Presentation. Test your knowledge by completing the Learning Activities. Submit assignments. Reading: Chapters 9, 10 Discussion 5 Midterm Exam (Chapters 1-8) Analyze the effects of diagnosis and Prognosis. Explain Median Survival time and Relative Survival rate. W e s t C o a s t U n i v e r s i t y C o u r s e S y l l a b u s Page 13
Week 6 Examine the concepts of cohort studies. Identify how one would select a study population. Explain potential biases in cohort studies. Explore Case control and Cross sectional studies. Describe the matching approach. Analyze the issues Epidemiological Approach to Identify the Cause of the Disease Do the Reading View the Lesson Presentation. Test your knowledge by completing the Learning Activities. Submit assignments. Reading: Chapters 11, 12, 13 Discussion 6 Quiz 3 SA: Rough Draft Week 7 List and define the risks of developing disease in a population. Estimate the different risks leading to disease occurrence among individuals in a population. Discuss odd ratios and its significance in casecontrol studies. Compare relative risks and attributable risks. Compare the cohort studies and case-control studies. Estimating Risk and Cohort vs. Case Control Studies Do the Reading View the Lesson Presentation. Test your knowledge by completing the Learning Activities. Submit assignments. Reading: Chapters 14, 15 Discussion 7 Quiz 4 W e s t C o a s t U n i v e r s i t y C o u r s e S y l l a b u s Page 14
Week 8 Examine the concepts of Ecologic studies. Identify the types of Associations. Explain how one would interpret Real Associations. Explore Types of Causal Relationships. Describe the various guidelines of judging associations. Analyze Causal inferences. Explain Confounding and Interaction. Illustrate the natural history of a disease. Discuss the methodological issues like lead time bias and over diagnosis bias in screening a disease. Interpret studies that show no benefit of screening. Deriving Inferences from Epidemiological Studies and Evaluation of Screening Programs Do the Reading View the Lesson Presentation. Test your knowledge by completing the Learning Activities. Submit assignments. Reading: Chapters 16, 17 Discussion 8 Signature Assignment: Video Presentation Describe the roles of risk assessments, economic assessments, and meta-analysis in framing public policies. Discuss the ethical and professional issues related to the epidemiologic approach in screening diseases. W e s t C o a s t U n i v e r s i t y C o u r s e S y l l a b u s Page 15
Week/Date Week 9 Weekly Course Learning Examine the concepts of Genetic markers. Identify Family studies and application of Molecular biologic methods in familial Aggregation. Content Outline Roles of Genetic and Environmental Factors in Disease Causation Specific Course Activity Do the Reading View the Lesson Presentation. Test your knowledge by completing the Learning Activities. Submit assignments. Student Assignments Reading: Chapters 18, 19, 20 Discussion 9 Final Exam Explore the concept of Twin studies and calculate the rate of concordance and Discordance. Explain adoption studies and how environmental and genetic factors play a role in evaluating the origin of diseases. Analyze the use of Epidemiology to evaluate health services. Describe measures of outcome. Identify the use of Group and Individual data. W e s t C o a s t U n i v e r s i t y C o u r s e S y l l a b u s Page 16