Course Manual:
OnlineEpidemiology and Statistics Course 2016-2017
Tobias van den Berg
1. Introduction & application to the course
Welcome to the online course epidemiology and applied biostatistics!
The course itself consists of two parts; basic epidemiology and basic principles of statistics applied to the field of epidemiology / health sciences /medicine. This course has been developed for studentsthat want to apply for a master in Health Sciences and who are deficient in one or both of the abovementioned parts.
In order to take this course, you are required to pay a fee of 300,- euro in advance. Yourpaymentshouldbetransferreddirectlyto VU University:
Account holder: / Vrije Universiteit, FALW, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, NetherlandsName of the bank: / Deutsche Bank Nederland NV
Address of the bank: / De Entree 99, 1011 HE Amsterdam, Netherlands
Account number: / 488122058
IBAN number: / NL80DEUT0488122058
BIC number: / DEUTNL2N
Order number: (very important!) / 2949101
The course consists of study materials (excluding books), online video lectures and an exam. After payment of the fee you can contact Tobias van den Berg:.
He will provide you with a guest-account and guest-net-account, which gives you access to the course on Blackboard.
If you are only interested in the course materials, without making the exam, the admission fee is €150,-. Note: for admission to the master Health Sciences, you are required to have passed the exam of this online course (in case of deficiencies in Epidemiology and/or Biostatistics).
2. Instructor
Tobias van den Berg, MSc
Email:
Work Phone: + 31 (0)20-5986202
Office Location Room: W&N building, Room T-617
3. Aims of the course
Epidemiology
At the end of this module students should be able to choose a suitable study design for a given research question. The student canalso calculate and interpret measures of frequency and association. In addition, students know which sources of bias can be distinguished in epidemiology and what their meaning is. Students can assess whether these sources of bias are present in examples of epidemiological studies and can logically deduct and/or calculate whether these sources of bias lead to an underestimation or overestimation of the ‘true’ association.
Applied biostatistics
At the end of this module students should be able to choose an appropriate statistical technique for an epidemiological research question with one or two measurements in time. Students should be able to calculate simple techniques themselves and to understand and work with regression models and equations. In addition, students are expected to be able to interpret the results of these statistical analyses in light of the epidemiological design adopted
4. Content
Epidemiology
- Study designs
- Frequency measures
- Measures of association
- Sources of bias
- effect modification
- causality
Applied biostatistics
The statistical techniques that will be addressed in the course are:
- T-tests
- Linear regression analysis
- Methods of analyzing continuous outcome variables that that do not meet the requirements of t-tests and linear regression analysis, e.g. using log transformations and non-parametric techniques.
- 95% confidence intervals around risk differences, risk ratios and odds ratios.
- Chi-square test
-Fisher Exact test
- Logistic regression analysis
- Kaplan Meier Curves
- Cox regression analysis
- Statistical analyses of confounding and effect modification
- prediction models
5. Forms of tuition
This is a self study course. There are however some possibilities to get support from the teachers. First of all, you can post questions on the discussion forum on Black Board. Secondly, there is a possibility to plan a session of 2 hours with one of the teachers in which questions can be asked. If a student wishes this, he/she has to apply for his, minimally 4 weeks before the exam.
6.Course structure
Self study
All course materials needed for self study, except for the books, can be found on Blackboard; Recorded PowerPoint presentations, assignments, data files, practice exams and answers to assignments and practice exams. We advise you to start with the epidemiology part.
Discussion forum
Questions regarding the epidemiology or applied biostatistics part can be posted on the discussion forum on Blackboard (located under ‘tools’). In this way, students can help each other with encountered difficulties. In addition, the instructors will address the (remaining) questions weekly from the moment the first participant enrols in the course.
7. Entrance test applied biostatistics
We assume that students who apply to this online course have some basic knowledge of statistics. To find out whether you have sufficient knowledge in order to master this course, we advise you to do the entrance test (Blackboard > assignments).
8. Course materials
The following materials are recommended for this course:
-Textbook for the epidemiology part: Grobee, DE and Hoes, AW, 2015. Clinical Epidemiology: Principles, Methods and Applications for Clinical Research (2nd edition)
- Textbook for the applied biostatistics part: Kirkwood BR, Sterne JAC. 2003. Essential Medical Statistics (2nd edition).
- Software program SPSS for Windows version 15 or later.
- Calculator e.g. Casio fx-82MS.
9. To study for exams:
PowerPoint slides, assignments and the following textbook chapters:
Clinical Epidemiology (Grobbee and Hoes):
- All chapters except chapter 6 and 11. It is advised to save chapter 2 for last.
Note: the book generally provides a more thorough discussion of the concepts than is expected from the students. The lectures and assignments provide a better representation of the level that is expected from the students. However they are not and cannot be totally comprehensive.
Medical Statistics:
-Chapter: 1-8; 10.1 and 10.2; 11-12; 13.1-13.3; 14; (15); 16-19; 20.1-20.3; 30.1 and 30.2.
10. Examination
The exam will consist of two parts. There is one written exam part (part 1) covering both Epidemiology and Applied biostatistics. This examination will consist of open questions. The questions in part 1 contribute 75% of the total number of credits in the exam. The second part of the exam is an SPSS (practical) exam (part 2). The questions in part two contribute 25% of the total number of credits in the exam. Both parts should be addressed at the exam and will take approximately between 1,5-2 and 1-1,5 hour, respectively for part 1 and part 2. An example of examination questions for both the written exam part and the SPSS exam part can be found on BB.
The maximum time available for the exam is three hours. The exam will be located under an Assignment on BB, named ‘Exam’ . The assignment is accessible from the start time to the end time of the exam. The exam needs to be uploaded before the end time, so within the available three hours. Exams that have not been uploaded within this time, will result in a ‘failed’ for the course.
There are four dates on which you can take the exam. The first is the 19th of January between 14.00-17.00, the second is the 13thof April between 14.00-17.00, the third is the 6th of Julybetween 14.00-17.00and the final date is the 24th of August between 14.00-17.00.All times refer to (central European time).You can take a maximum of two exams.
11. Grading
The final grade will be based on both parts of the exam. The final grade must be 5.5in order to pass the exam and to gain access to the Master of Health Sciences (considering that this course was the last barrier to take).
12.Communication
The main type of communication that will be used for this course is Blackboard. All course materials (except for the books), announcements, changes and additions can be found here.
13. Blackboard
Blackboard account
After we received your payment of the course fee you will receive login information to get access to Blackboard (bb.vu.nl).
How does it work?
A(n online) manual of Blackboard can be found under tab ‘Support / Help’
14. Certificate
When you passed the course, you will receive a certificate upon request.
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