In this course, we'll build on the previous lessons in this specialization to focus on some very specific skills related to public health surveillance. We'll learn how to get the most out of surveillance data analysis, focusing specifically on interpreting time trend data to detect temporal aberrations as well as person, place, and time in the context of surveillance data. We'll also explore strategies for the presentation of surveillance data and some of the complex legal elements that affect its use. We'll then turn our attention to surveillance of non-communicable chronic diseases and how the data can be used to support prevention efforts. Finally, we'll explore special surveillance systems, such as syndromic surveillance, antimicrobial resistance, and event-related surveillance. This course is designed for public health practitioners with a focus on those working on health surveillance in municipal, regional, state, provincial, or even national public health agencies. We really think that this course will help those with an interest in health surveillance to see which approaches are used in actual practice of public health.
This course is part of the Epidemiology in Public Health Practice Specialization
Offered By
Epidemiology in Public Health Practice SpecializationJohns Hopkins UniversityAbout this Course
What you will learn
Analyze and interpret epidemiologic surveillance data
Present surveillance data in compliance with legal reporting requirements
Apply epidmiologic surveillance principles to non-communicable chronic diseases
Differentiate among indicator-based, event-based, and event-related surveillance systems
Skills you will gain
Offered by
Johns Hopkins University
The mission of The Johns Hopkins University is to educate its students and cultivate their capacity for life-long learning, to foster independent and original research, and to bring the benefits of discovery to the world.
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
Analyses of Surveillance Data
In this first module, we're going to focus on the analyses used in health surveillance. Specifically, we're going to talk about how to interpret time trend data that's harnessed as part of health surveillance programs and strategies used to detect temporal aberrations. We're also going to build on some of your earlier specialization lessons on descriptive epidemiology with a real focus on how it can be used in the analyses of person, place, and time in the context of surveillance data. I really want to highlight throughout the module how we often underutilize surveillance data to analyze complex issues, but I also want to talk about the some of the limitations that exist within the data sets.
Dissemination Strategies and Communication Frameworks
In this module, we will explore strategies for the presentation of surveillance data and some of the complex legal elements that affect the use of health surveillance data. Now, surveillance data are fundamentally different from research data. In research studies, people provide explicit consent for how their data are going to be used. For surveillance data, the collection doesn't include explicit consent. As a result, there are very specific laws governing how the data can and should be used to drive public health programs. We'll also discuss communication strategies in health surveillance given how sensitive it can be to message health surveillance data, and the associated recommendations that come along with communicating these data.
Chronic Disease Surveillance Systems
So we're switching gears today from communicable diseases to noncommunicable diseases, or often called, chronic diseases. I'll present some of the frameworks and approaches that have been developed to guide chronic disease surveillance and then I'll focus on giving different examples of these, ranging from cancer to cardiovascular health systems. Taking you back to the surveillance cycle from Dr. Gurley's course, "Surveillance Systems: Building Blocks," I'll provide some context on how these chronic disease surveillance systems can really impact chronic disease prevention strategies if communicated effectively. And that brings us back to communication, where we will again focus on approaches to communicate these complex issues and then give an example of how to apply communication framework in the context of a chronic disease.
Special Surveillance Systems
In this module, I will discuss some of the really interesting special surveillance systems. Although having standardized approaches for infectious diseases and non-communicable diseases is fundamentally important, there are also some health issues that do not fit nicely into these boxes, and it's here where these special surveillance systems can really play an important role. As you will see, having a framework or approach to the issue is still relevant, but the approaches are really tailored to the issue at hand. We will start by discussing syndromic surveillance systems, including when to use them and also how to design them. We'll then really evaluate the differences between indicator versus event-driven surveillance systems. We'll then move on to anti-microbial resistance surveillance systems and then talk in more detail about event-related surveillance systems.
Reviews
TOP REVIEWS FROM SURVEILLANCE SYSTEMS: ANALYSIS, DISSEMINATION, AND SPECIAL SYSTEMS
The lecture was quite fast. But, the informations that Mr. Stefan provided in quick succession was worthy as a beginner in public health practices.
This course is well structured with relevant examples and educative practice sessions. I've got what I seek for. My gratitude to the instructor.
The course was very insightful and helped to solidify and peak my interest for gaining more knowledge of surveillance techniques.
Excellent course, lots of practical information useful for many situations in my experience. Thank you for this opportunity.
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.
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