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Overview of Epidemiology Module

Epidemiology encompasses issues that relate to health, disease, microbiology and immunology; medicine, control and prevention. This module introduces participants to the concepts and terminologies relating to and surveys the basic principles of epidemiology. It also explicitly exposes participants to the burden of communicable diseases and guides them to support the improvement of disease surveillance as well as identify how outbreak investigations are conducted.

The module also attempts to relate all aspects of disease outbreak, surveillance and use of health-related data in real life examples. The case studies provided within the module will enable the participants to easily articulate epidemiology concepts in relation to the One Health concept. Ultimately, the module aims at providing knowledge of descriptive, analytical and participatory epidemiology to participants that leads to their appreciation of its value and importance. In a nutshell, the module provides knowledge and skills to health professionals to enable them to analyze and critically interpret information from the health system and health interventions in the community.  

Epidemiology plays a major role in the transmission and containment of infectious diseases and public health outcomes. Accordingly, epidemiological issues must be addressed thoroughly to better understand the risks and develop effective control and response strategies to pandemic disease outbreaks as propagated by the One Health approach. Fortunately, this training will allow participants to develop critical analysis skills as they explore various aspects of epidemiology, in the realm of emerging pandemic threats (EPT), the One Health intersect, and how policies can be developed and/or implemented to address diseases. Thus, this module is designed to introduce individuals with little or no epidemiological background to the history, concepts, theories, terminology and practice of epidemiology, to enhance their education on key public health issues and to improve their capacity to collaborate with epidemiologists.

Goals

This module is designed to equip professionals with capabilities to:

1. evaluate disease patterns, their determinants and impact on humans, animals and the environment.
2. develop disease control strategies using One Health approach e.g. taking consideration of socio-cultural beliefs and values.
3. design gender sensitive approaches to disease prevention and control through disease surveillance, disease detection and outbreak response.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this module, participants should be able to:

1. discuss interactions between humans, animals and the environment.
2. distinguish the role of human, animal and environment interaction in disease occurrence and spread.
3. describe the concept of epidemiology.
4. explain disease occurrence, patterns and their determinants.
5. describe measures of disease frequency.
6. describe the significance of epidemic curves.
7. explain measures of disease risks.
8. identify disease control measures focusing on One Health approaches.
9. discuss the strategies of disease screening.
10. explain epidemiological intelligence of diseases (surveillance).
11. discuss disease intervention techniques.
12. analyze socio-cultural impact of disease prevention and control strategies in a One Health context.
13. develop gender sensitive interventions and emergency responses.
14. describe the basic gender concepts.
15. explain gender influences in disease outbreak investigations.
16. evaluate the role of gender in disease control and prevention strategies.

Epidemiology and One Health-CE