Course Syllabus

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Epidemiology: Danish Case Studies

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Semester & Location:

 Spring 2020 - DIS Copenhagen
Type & Credits:

Elective Course - 3 credits
Major Disciplines:

Pre-Medicine/Health Science, Public Health
Faculty Member:

My von Euler-Chelpin
Program Director:

Susana Dietrich
Time & Place:

Tuesdays and Fridays, 14:50-16:10, V23-201

Faculty

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 My von Euler-Chelpin
Associate Professor (Centre for Epidemiology and Screening, University of Copenhagen) Ph.D. (Public Health, University of Copenhagen, 2007). Research Consultant at UNESCO, Paris and Nairobi, and International Committee of the Red Cross, 1986-2002. Researcher, Center for Epidemiology and Screening, University of Copenhagen, 2002–present. With DIS since 2011.

Course Description

The main goal of the course is to give an introduction into epidemiology as one of the cornerstones of public health science. The main emphasis will be on understanding the central concepts of epidemiology and epidemiological reasoning and to appreciate how epidemiology can contribute to public health research and help inform public health decision making.

To achieve these objectives, students will learn:

  • Basic epidemiological concepts, such as incidence and prevalence, used in describing disease occurrence.
  • Different study designs, including case control studies, cohort studies, clinical trials, literature reviews, and meta-analyses
  • Risk calculation in analytical epidemiology, including concepts of odds ratios, and relative risks, bias and confounding, age standardization, attributable risk, causality, validation, etc.

In addition, the course will give an understanding of the Danish civil registration system and some important health and health-related registers. Throughout the course, we will use case studies from Denmark to illustrate the use of epidemiology in public health research and practice. Students will:

  • Receive an overview of the most important Danish health registers
  • Including their content, structure, historical overview and application in epidemiological research and disease and health care quality monitoring.
  • Some registers will be talked about in class: Civil registration system/Central Personal Registry (CPR), Cause of Death Register, National Patient Register, National Health Service Register, Danish National Prescription Register, Cancer Registry, Diabetes Register
  • Learn to appreciate what a unique and important resource Danish registers represent for Danish epidemiological research in an international context
    • Danish Registers give the field of epidemiology in Denmark an ‘edge’ and allow for greater research opportunities; some even refer to Denmark as “an epidemiologist’s paradise”
  • Learn to critically question and evaluate the register data quality

Finally, during the course we will briefly touch on:

  • International classification of diseases
  • Current and historical perspectives on major disease groups and their relative burden to public health
  • The application of biostatistics to epidemiology.

Course goals will be accomplished through assigned readings, class lectures and exercises, presentations by accomplished guest lecturers, site visits, and discussion of state-of-the art published papers.

 

Expected Learning Outcomes

After successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

  • Define and understand the fundamental concepts of epidemiology
  • Distinguish between types of epidemiological studies, and understand their ‘hierarchy’ with respect to research
  • Calculate and interpret basic measures of occurrence and association and interpret the results
  • Gain an understanding of the unique resources that Danish health registers represent for epidemiological research in Denmark
  • Apply epidemiological thinking to critically read and appraise articles in medical literature
  • Analytically assess collection and analysis of data, and evaluate the relevant hypotheses
  • Discuss the public health implications of epidemiological data and research

 

Evaluation and Grading

To be eligible for a passing grade, you must complete all of the assigned work.

The factors influencing the final grade and the proportional importance of each factor is shown below:

Component Weight
Participation (attendance and active participation in class) 15%
Mandatory Exercise (take home exercise)   20%
Midterm exam (multiple choice test in class)     20%
Final Exam (multiple choice test in class)     20%
Group project (presentation in class and take home paper)   25%

 

Use of laptops or phones in class

Use of phones in class is not allowed, except as a calculator during exercises as specified. Laptop use is allowed for group and project work.

 

Academic Regulations  

Please make sure to read the Academic Regulations on the DIS website. There you will find regulations on:

DIS - Study Abroad in Scandinavia - www.DISabroad.org

 

 DIS Contacts

Kathrine Whitman, Program Assistant,  kwh@dis.dk
Louise Bagger Iversen , Assistant Program Director, lbi@dis.dk 
Susana Dietrich, Science & Health Program Director
Science & Health Office: Vestergade 7-37

 

Required Readings

Textbook: Leon Gordis. Epidemiology, 5th ed. 2014

Lecture notes on Danish registers (will be available on Canvas)

Article List (available through Canvas)

  1. Thorlund JB, Hare KB, Lohmander SL. Large increase in arthroscopic meniscus surgery in the middle-aged and older population in Denmark from 2000 to 2011. Acta Orthopaedica 2014; 85 (3): 287–292
  2. Lynge W, Sandegaard JL, Rebolj M. The Danish National Patient Register. Scand J Public Health. 2011 39: 30-33
  3. Kildemoes HW, Toft Sørensen H, Hallas J. The Danish National Prescription Registry. Scand J Public health. 2011 39:38-41
  4. von Euler-Chelpin m, Lynge E, Rebolj M. Register-based studies of cancer screening effects.2011 39: 158-164
  5. Andersen LL, Saervoll CA, Mortensen OS, Poulsen OM, Hannerz H, Zebis MK. Effectiveness of small daily amounts of progressive resistance training for frequent neck/shoulder pain: Randomised controlled trial. PAIN 152 (2011) 440-446.
  6. Andersen ZJ, Bønnelykke K, Hvidberg M, Jensen SS, Ketzel M, Loft S, Sørensen M, Tjønneland A,Overvad K, Raaschou-Nielsen O. Long-term exposure to air pollution and asthma hospitalisations in older adults: a cohort study. Thorax 2012;67:6-11.
  7. Mørch LS, Løkkegaard E, Andreasen AH, Krüger-Kjaer S, Lidegaard O. Hormone therapy and ovarian cancer. JAMA 2009;302(3):298-305.
  8. Hansen J, Stevens RG. Case–control study of shift-work and breast cancer risk in Danish nurses: Impact of shift systems. European Journal of Cancer 48 (2012) 1722-1729.
  9. Hansen J, Lassen CF. Nested case–control study of night shift work and breast cancer risk among women in the Danish military Occup Environ Med 2012;69:8 551-556
  10. Davies HTO, Crombie IK, Tavakoli M. When can odds ratios mislead? BMJ (1998) 316:989-91
  11. Hu FB, Manson JE, Stampfer MJ, Colditz G, Liu S, Solomon CG, Willett WC. Diet, lifestyle, and the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus in women. N Engl J Med. 2001 Sep 13;345(11):790-7.
  12. Tuomilehto J1, Lindström J, Eriksson JG, Valle TT, Hämäläinen H, Ilanne-Parikka P, Keinänen-Kiukaanniemi S, Laakso M, Louheranta A, Rastas M, Salminen V, Uusitupa M; Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study Group. Prevention of type 2 diabetes mellitus by changes in lifestyle among subjects with impaired glucose tolerance. N Engl J Med. 2001 May 3;344(18):1343-50.
  13. Lange T, Keiding N. Skin cancer as a marker of sun exposure: a case of serious immortality bias. Int J Epidemiol 2014;43:971.

Course Summary:

Date Details Due