ECX9720

Introduction to epidemiology and biostatistics

(BUS)

Dr F Cicuttini and Dr A Forbes

6 points + 12 hours per week + First or second semester + off campus distributed learning

Synopsis: The first half of the subject provides an appreciation of the differences between descriptive and analytical epidemiology, an appreciation of the strengths and weaknesses of different epidemiological study design, and the basic design features of an intervention study. The subject provides parallel introduction to the basic concepts and methods of biostatistics including confidence intervals, p-values and sample size, statistical tests for comparing groups, regression models and survival analysis. The second half of the subject looks in particular at the design and evaluation of clinical trials.

Assessment: Two assignments (1500 words each): 50% + Examination (3 hours): 50%