This course is part of the Epidemiology in Public Health Practice Specialization

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1,142 ratings

Keri Althoff, PhD, MPH

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Epidemiology in Public Health Practice SpecializationJohns Hopkins University

About this Course

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Epidemiology is often described as the cornerstone science in public health. Epidemiology in public health practice uses study design and analyses to identify causes in an outbreak situation, guides interventions to improve population health, and evaluates programs and policies.
In this course, we'll define the role of the professional epidemiologist as it relates to public health services, functions, and competencies. With that foundation in mind, we'll introduce you to the problem solving methodology and demonstrate how it can be used in a wide variety of settings to identify problems, propose solutions, and evaluate interventions. This methodology depends on the use of reliable data, so we'll take a deep dive into the routine and public health data systems that lie at the heart of epidemiology and then conclude with how you can use that data to calculate measures of disease burden in populations.

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Course 2 of 5 in the

Epidemiology in Public Health Practice Specialization

Beginner Level

Approx. 6 hours to complete

English

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Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Course 2 of 5 in the

Epidemiology in Public Health Practice Specialization

Beginner Level

Approx. 6 hours to complete

English

Could your company benefit from training employees on in-demand skills?

Try Coursera for Business

Instructor

Instructor rating

4.81/5 (191 Ratings)

Keri Althoff, PhD, MPH

Associate Professor

Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

29,481 Learners

1 Course

Offered by

Johns Hopkins University

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Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating97%(3,100 ratings)

Week1

Week 1

2 hours to complete

Introduction and Problem-Solving Methodology

2 hours to complete

11 videos (Total 57 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

Week2

Week 2

2 hours to complete

Data Sources in Public Health

2 hours to complete

9 videos (Total 55 min)

9 videos

Welcome to Data Sources in Public Health1mData For Public Health Practice12mMedical Record Systems3mAdministrative Record Systems3mAssessing the Quality of Mortality Statistics in the Americas12mPublic Health information Systems: Population-based Surveys11mPublic Health Information Systems: Registries3mPublic Health Information Systems: Surveillance Systems1mCommon Problems of Routine and Public Health Information Systems4m

1 practice exercise

Routine and Public Health Information Systems30m

Week3

Week 3

2 hours to complete

Measures of Disease Burden

2 hours to complete

8 videos (Total 50 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

Week4

Week 4

1 hour to complete

Health Indicators

In this module, we'll discuss health indicators, which are important measurements of the health of a population. There are numerous health indicators that help us paint the picture of a populations health. We'll talk about characteristics of good health indicators to provide a little guidance on how to choose health indicators for the public health problem of interest. Then, we'll use the example of the health indicator of liver cancer incidence to explore descriptive epidemiology. We will stratify liver cancer incidence by person, place, and time, to build our skills in descriptive epidemiology.

1 hour to complete

9 videos (Total 39 min)

Reviews

4.7

239 reviews

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TOP REVIEWS FROM DATA AND HEALTH INDICATORS IN PUBLIC HEALTH PRACTICE

by MWJul 22, 2019

Very good instructor and learning aides. You do need to read and then watch the videos as they go quite fast with a lot of details to absorb.

by MWSep 12, 2017

Great course! I learned a lot about epidemiology in public health practice. The examples and exercises were really helpful in understanding how to apply what you learn.

by MAMay 1, 2021

I have learned about Health Indicators in public health practice and I will apply these in my field of practice. It was worth every bit of my while and time, thank you!

by CWMay 3, 2020

I learned a lot of good things, but I think there are typos that I should be fixed.

For example, a table was missing from one of the final quiz questions.

View all reviews

About the Epidemiology in Public Health Practice Specialization

This specialization is intended for people working or aspiring to work in the field of public health at the local, regional, and national level. Over five courses taught by faculty from the preeminent school of public health, you'll learn to use the core epidemiologic toolset to measure the health of populations, assess interventions, collect and analyze data, and investigate outbreaks and epidemics.

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.

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Data and Health Indicators in Public Health Practice

About this Course