Asking Questions About Public Health: The Role of Epidemiology. Sapp SENCER

Transcription

1 Asking Questions About Public Health: The Role of Epidemiology Sapp SENCER

2 Why Teach Epidemiology? Public health perspective Scientific method (reasoning & research skills) Critical thinking & interdisciplinary synthesis Health literacy (e.g., interpreting health news) Tools for assessment, program planning & evaluation Sapp SENCER

3 The Role of Epidemiology in Public Health After we ask questions about pubic health Sapp SENCER

4 What is Epidemiology? A branch of medical science that deals with the incidence, distribution, and control of disease in a population (Merriam-Webster, 2013) The study of the distribution and determinants of healthrelated states or events in the population, and the application of this study to control health problems (Last JM, ed. A dictionary of epidemiology, 4th ed, 2000) Sapp SENCER

5 Teaching Epidemiology Integrate into existing courses Course Biology Chemistry Sociology Psychology Statistics Environmental science Policy Epi Topic Disease transmission Screening tests Risk perception Study design, bias, confounding Epidemiologic measures Ecology and (re)emerging diseases Interpreting epi studies Sapp SENCER

6 Teaching resources Many resources* available to help integrate epidemiology into existing courses Young Epidemiology Scholars (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation) Teaching units with classroom activities by discipline Epidemiology Education Movement (NIH funded) Links to teaching materials focused on elementary through high school students. Many materials are appropriate for use in higher education. CDC Epidemiology Case Studies (Association for Prevention Teaching & Researcher) Links to 26 case studies developed at CDC and used in training for Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) Officers. Recommended for college students and above. *See handout for more Sapp SENCER

7 Teaching Epidemiology Stand-alone course possibilities: Open to all majors First-year initiative course Open to (or mandatory for) all science majors Lower- or upper-level course Who teaches it? Anyone with epi training Sapp SENCER

8 Undergrad Epidemiology at SJSU Who takes this course? Required for Health Science majors Available to students in other departments Biology, nursing, policy, communications History of the course For 20 years- same curriculum Changing interests prompted an overhaul Sapp SENCER

9 Student Learning Objectives Each objective mapped to weekly topic(s) Definitions & history Scientific method Epidemiologic measures Descriptive epidemiology & health disparities Analytic epidemiology & study design Error in epidemiological studies Interpreting epidemiologic evidence (causality) Sapp SENCER

10 Course Format Scaffold Approach 3 hours per week (16 weeks) Topics introduced Small sections (25 students) Uses explored Large groups ( students) Knowledge applied Campus & community projects Sapp SENCER

11 1 Topics Introduced Small sections (25 students) Homework* Quiz* Epi in the news* Interactive lecture Activity* Study guide * Weekly deliverable Sapp SENCER

12 Epi in the News Example Sapp SENCER

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15 2 Uses Explored Large group classes ( students) Guest speakers Activities Outbreaks Careers in epidemiology Health policy, Environmental Epi Epidemiology in the Media, Social Epi Data scavenger hunt Disease transmission game Public health official Panel Lobbyist Science writer Herd immunity simulation Sapp SENCER

16 The speakers helped me understand that epidemiology provides the tools to find out how to prevent disease. and improve the health of the whole population. Student responses to the Careers in Epi Panel As they told us about their day to day operations, I realized they were applying exactly what we were learning in class. Now I understand how epidemiology basics like prevalence and incidence are used everyday. As far as my own career, I never thought I would need epidemiology but now I realize that I will! I was left thinking about how epidemiology can help us to distinguish good data from bad data. in order to sort through all the health information in the media. I am now convinced that in order to ultimately make a difference, you must first ask questions and then have the necessary tools to answer them. Sapp 16

17 3 Knowledge Applied Epi students conduct assessments & evaluations of services, policies, behaviors Design & administer surveys Analyze data Interpret & communicate findings Collaboration with other classes, campus groups, community organizations Sapp SENCER

18 Department Mission Sapp SENCER

19 Examples Smoking: w Clean up butts day w Campuscommunity smoking cessation program Sapp Food: w Garden to Table w Food Justice Ministry w Second Harvest Food Bank Homelessness and residency: w Inn Vision homeless intervention program w Project SHINE (elder naturalization) SENCER Children s health: McKinley Elementary w Obesity w Violence w Girls group 19

20 ary t n e m y Ele e l n i lub K C Mc h t l Hea Girls Girls decide what health topics they want to learn about, then the mothers and SJSU Health Science students plan and facilitate the meetings. Learn about health while having fun! art cooking field trips physical activities 20

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22 Extra credit example: Second Harvest Food Bank How do users get to the food bank? How far do users travel? What are the travel conditions? What are some long-term solutions? Sapp SENCER

23 Conclusion Student surveys showed that students are happier with the new course format, and perceive greater benefit. The SENCERized epidemiology course provides students with tools they will use in subsequent courses and future careers. Epidemiology can be taught in a variety of existing courses Sapp SENCER