Curriculum Information

Understand the public health knowledge approach to survey and assess the health and wellbeing of populations, and population groups, nationally and internationally. Survey and assessment covers sources, uses of data from various sources, sources include demographic, health and disease (mortality and morbidity), and wider services e.g. education, housing etc. Included are techniques and methods for analysing data, and the ethical and legal frameworks for data use. The limitations of data uses, analysis and ethical and legal frameworks

Indicative content to include topics outlined in notes and/or any other relevant current topics:

Week 1

Sources and uses of data.
Importance of consistency in definitions and (public health) language.
Sources and uses of routine mortality and morbidity data, including primary care data, notification and disease registration data; and biases and artefacts in population data.

Week 2

Surveys and epidemiology.
Methods to measure health status, including subjective health status and health surveys.
Risk, epidemiology, stats.

Week 3

Population statistics: Techniques and methods for analysing population health data – quantitative.
Including types of statistical analyses used, trend analysis and modelling.

Week 4

Population statistics: Techniques and methods for analysing population health data - surveillance qualitative.
Including the use of surveillance data and qualitative data.

Week 5

Data from the use of health and other services.
Other service use and provision e.g., housing, education, justice, social care and provision, data for service planning; indices of needs for and outcome of services.
The strengths, analysis, uses, interpretation and limitations of routine health information.
Health impact assessment, needs assessment.
Legal and ethical frameworks for the use of data.
Relevance to country
Including data security and data protection.