Course and Module Catalogue

This module starts by considering disease and death in a social and historical context. Ways of viewing population structure and quantifying the experience of birth, sickness and death within the population are studied and discussed. Trends in fertility and in morbidity and mortality will be illustrated with examples. The basis … For more content click the Read More button below. Applications are then presented which illustrate the uses of the various techniques and terminology. Case studies are developed from a variety of threats to health such as dietary inadequacies and infectious disease.

The material will be taught via lectures and seminars.  Students will be expected to supplement their learning via current books and journal articles.  Formative assessment will also encourage students to develop their knowledge and understanding.

Long term trends in disease. Demographic measures such as crude fertility rate, general fertility rate and total fertility rate. Measures of morbidity/mortality such as crude rates, age specific rates and standardised rates. Measures of life-span population pyramids and survival curves. Cross-sectional, cohort and case-control studies. Incidence, prevalence, relative risk and … For more content click the Read More button below. Randomised controlled trials, community trials and experiments of opportunity. Analysis of results confidence intervals and hypothesis testing. Illustration of principles and methods using case studies on (for example) smoking and lung cancer, breast screening, diet and cardiovascular disease, diet and bowel cancer. Comparison of demographics and disease patterns between developed and developing countries Gene-nutrient interactions within populations. Critical review of public health policy documents e.g. 'Health of the Nation', 'Our Healthier Nation’

Students should be able to demonstrate an appropriate level of knowledge and understanding of the subject matter above.  Also be able to critically review selected additional topics and produce structured and coherent verbal and written presentations.