EPI 501 (ANT 516) Principles and Methods
of Epidemiology I (3)
Introduction to epidemiology for students majoring
in any aspect of public health; covers the principles
and methods of epidemiologic investigation including
describing the patterns of illness in populations
and research designs for investigating the etiology
of disease. Introduces quantitative measures to determine
risk, association and procedures for standardization
of rates.
EPI 502 (ANT 517) Principles and Methods of Epidemiology
II (3)
Application of basic principles and methods (as covered
in EPI 501 and STA 552) in the design and conduct
of epidemiologic studies. Topics include the development
of research questions; overview of epidemiologic study
designs; sampling, sample size, and selection bias;
techniques for data collection, sources of secondary
data, and the evaluation of measurement and information
bias; confounding and effect modification; techniques
for simple and stratified analyses; and an introduction
to mathematical modeling in epidemiology. Prerequisite(s):
EPI 501, STA 552 or their equivalents.
EPI 503 (HPM 503) Principles of Public Health
(3)
This course introduces the students to the basic principles
of public health and their application to the development
of activities that benefit the health status of populations.
The skills of epidemiology, biostatistics, health
care planning and policy development, health care
administration, and community organization are applied
to the assessment of public health needs and the development
of prevention and control initiatives.
EPI 512 Topics in Infectious Disease Epidemiology
(1-3)
Selected topics in the area of infectious disease
control. When the course is offered, the department
will announce the credit hours in advance of preregistration.
This course is not acceptable for the satisfaction
of core requirements for graduate degree students,
unless the student's advisor determines special circumstances.
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor (previous course
in biology and introductory epidemiology would be
helpful).
EPI 513 Topics in Injury Control Epidemiology
(1-3)
Selected topics in the area of epidemiological approaches
to injury control. When the course is offered, credit
hours will be announced by the department in advance
of preregistration. This course is not acceptable
for the satisfaction of core requirements for graduate
degree students, unless the student's advisor determines
special circumstances. Prerequisite: Permission of
instructor.
EPI 514 (HPM 514) Computer Programming for Data
Management and Analysis in Public Health (3)
The course covers a major statistical computer program
(e.g. SAS) used for the management, analysis and reporting
of public health data. Topics include, how to access
data stored in a variety of formats; techniques for
identifying errors and outlies in data sets; combining
data from multiple sources into a single data file;
calculating statistical and epidemiologic measures;
and report writing.
EPI 601 General Topics in Epidemiologic Methods
(3)
Examination of recent ideas and unresolved controversies
regarding fundamental principles of epidemiologic
measures and study design. Topics include causality,
epidemiologic measures, standardization, interaction
between causes, matching, and the basis for improving
the validity and precision of epidemiologic research.
Prerequisites: EPI 501, 502, STA 552, and STA 553.
EPI 602 Master's Seminar in Epidemiology (1)
A seminar in which the knowledge and skills acquired
during the master's program are integrated in the
examination of a single, semester-long topic. Historical,
biological and public health policy perspectives are
included with discussion of epidemiologic issues.
Prerequisites: EPI 501, 502, STA 552, 553.
EPI 603 Chronic Disease Epidemiology (3)
Presentation of the epidemiologic concepts and methods
appropriate to the study of chronic (mostly non-infectious)
diseases and diseases of unknown etiology. Approaches
and problems in descriptive, analytic, and experimental
(controlled trials) epidemiology will be compared
with those for the acute infectious diseases. Discussion
of the epidemiologic, etiologic, pathophysiologic
and clinical features of some of the important chronic
diseases. Specific disease examples covered include:
cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, arthritis, chronic
obstructive lung disease, neurologic disorders and
mental illness. Risk assessment and preventive practice
in chronic disease (applied epidemiology) are discussed.
Materials from Health Department programs are used
as case studies. Prerequisites: EPI 501, STA 552.
EPI 604 Cancer Epidemiology (3)
Review of concepts and methodological issues central
to the conduct of epidemiologic studies of cancer
etiology and control. Overview of the molecular and
cellular basis of cancer, the role of experimental
studies in assessing human risk, the classification
and nomenclature of human cancer and the morphology,
natural history and etiologic importance of precursor
lesions. Application of descriptive and analytic epidemiologic
methods to studies of cancer etiology will be illustrated
through in- depth reviews of specific forms of neoplasia:
leukemias, lymphomas, melanomas and malignant neoplasms
of the breast, respiratory, gastrointestinal, reproductive,
urinary and nervous systems. Discussion of the role
of epidemiology in cancer control and fundamental
issues in cancer screening. Prerequisites: EPI 501
and EPI 510.
EPI 605
Infectious Disease Epidemiology (3)
This course reviews infectious disease principles
and the use of epidemiologic methods in the assessment
of selected communicable diseases of national and
international importance. Emphasis will also be given
to methods of transmission, the role of surveillance,
and methods of control and prevention. Specific disease
examples to be covered will include: tuberculosis,
legionellosis, measles, Lyme disease, and syphilis
with examples of nosocomial, foodborne, and enteric
infections. Case studies and literature examples will
be used extensively to give students an appreciation
for the application of epidemiologic principles to
this field. Prerequisites: None, but previous courses
in biology and introductory epidemiology would be
useful (check with faculty if in doubt).
EPI 608 Injury Epidemiology (3)
Application of basic epidemiologic concepts and methods
to major categories of unintentional and intentional
injuries, including motor vehicle crashes, falls,
fires and burns, drowning, poisoning, homicide and
suicide in a variety of settings (highway, home, work
and recreational). Discussion of strategies for reducing
the incidence and severity of injuries will be discussed,
using principles introduced by Haddon and Baker as
a framework. Materials from current health department
programs used as case studies. Prerequisites: EPI
501 and STA 552.
EPI 609 (ANT 609) Reproductive Epidemiology (3)
An overview by clinical and non-clinical faculty of
pertinent physiological mechanisms of pregnancy and
fetal growth, which are critical to the understanding
of epidemiological methods, used to investigate adverse
reproductive outcomes and normal pregnancies. Discussion
of unique qualities of circumstances surrounding fertility,
conception, pregnancy and its outcome in detail to
show their peculiar suitability for epidemiological
investigation. Exposure through actual case histories
and population studies to methods used to investigate
problems relevant to perinatal morbidity and mortality,
maternal mortality, spontaneous and induced abortion,
hypertension and infections of pregnancy and the etiology
on congenital malformations. Prerequisites: EPI 501
and STA 552.
EPI 610 AIDS Epidemiology (3)
Application of basic principles and methods of epidemiology
to the investigation and control of the AIDS epidemic.
Participation of epidemiologists, prevention program
managers, and policy makers involved in the development
and implementation of control strategy in New York
State in classroom lectures, and student-initiated
research projects and presentations. Major issues
explored include surveillance, clinical manifestation
of AIDS, modes of transmissions, implications for
the health care system, control measures and the ethical
dilemmas associated with managing the Aids epidemic.
Prerequisite(s): BMS 505 or equivalent and college
level biology course, or permission of course director.
EPI 611 Controversies in Epidemiology (3)
Focus on current controversies in epidemiology through
a critical review of the literature. Discussion of
biologic plausibility, reasons for conflicting findings,
strength of evidence, and on methodological issues.
Topics may vary from year to year; seminar format.
Emphasis on student participation. Prerequisite(s):
EPI 501 and STA 552 or permission of instructor.
EPI 612 Quantitative Methods in Epidemiology (4)
Application of the concepts introduced in STA 552
and STA 553 to the analysis of epidemiological studies.
Topics include: simple and stratified analyses of
cross-sectional, case-control, cumulative follow-
up, and density follow-up studies; matching in epidemiologic
studies; logistic regression; theoretical considerations,
analysis strategy, and applications. Prerequisites:
EPI 501 and EPI 502 or equivalent are required; STA
552 and STA 553 or equivalent are required; EPI 601
is recommended.
EPI 613 Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology
(3)
Compare and contrast the methods used in occupational
epidemiology with those used in environmental epidemiology.
Review of the health risks of physical/chemical agents
in air, water and soil. Topics to be covered: studies
of mortality including retrospective cohort studies,
proportional studies and case-control studies within
a cohort; studies of morbidity including case reports,
case-control studies, cross-sectional studies and
cohort studies; and surveys of the health status of
persons including exposure-based surveillance of populations
and diseased-based surveillance of diagnosed populations.
Special emphasis will be placed on data sources, measurement
of exposure, confounding, bias and measurement of
outcome. Uses of epidemiology in risk assessment and
risk management (public health intervention) will
also be presented with focus on some current New York
State examples. Prerequisites: EPI 501 and STA 552.
EPI 614 Arthropods and Human Health (3)
This course will introduce students to the principles
and concepts associated with the dynamics of vector-borne
disease transmission and will include discussion of
topics related to selected arthropod vector- borne
diseases found throughout the world. Despite tremendous
medical strides in understanding classical vector-borne
diseases, new "emerging" vector-borne diseases,
and "reemerging" classical diseases continue
to dismay the public health community. This course
will enable the student to better understand the reasons
for the success of arthropods in transmitting human
pathogens. Prerequisite: EPI 501.
EPI 615 Hospital Epidemiology (3)
This course provides an overview of the history of
hospital epidemiology, methods of surveillance, risk
factors for infection, control measures and impact
of infections in health care facilities. Host, agent
and environmental factors will be explored in the
laboratory, hospital (Albany Medical Center), and
through classroom lectures and directed readings.
Students will learn to apply the basic principles
of public health and epidemiology to the problem of
infections acquired in the hospital setting. Prerequisites:
EPI 501 and STA 552.
EPI 616 Social Class and Race in Epidemiology
(3)
The course covers the theoretical basis and the historical
development of social class and race constructs. Sources
of available data and the way in which typical indicators
of social class and race are defined and analyzed
will be presented. Observed relationships of a range
of health outcomes with social class and race in epidemiology
will be presented and critically evaluated. Social
and public health implications of different approaches
and interpretations are discussed. Prerequisites:
EPI 501 and STA 552.
EPI 619 Diabetes Epidemiology (3)
The following topics are addressed: 1) biology of
glucose regulation, types of diabetes and complications;
diagnostic criteria/screening; care and management
2) epidemiology of diabetes prevalence/incidence/mortality,
complications, risk factors 3) diabetes prevention
issues including measurements of obesity and physical
activity; types of interventions and evaluation designs;
cultural issues. Critical thinking regarding study
designs, measurements, bias and results is reinforced
through reading and discussions of epidemiology studies.
EPI 620 Epidemiology of Cardiovascular Diseases
(3)
The following topics are addressed (1) biology/pathology
of cardiovascular diseases (CVD); diagnosis and misclassification
of CVD in mortality data, hospital discharge data
and community studies (2) descriptive epidemiology
of coronary heart disease and stroke, including trends
and geographic distributions (3) overview of CVD (4)
descriptive epidemiology of CVD, social class and
race; discussion of mechanisms (5) epidemiology multi-risk
factor studies and current community studies; discussion
of high risk vs. population approaches to prevention
of cardiovascular diseases. Critical thinking regarding
study designs, measurements, bias and results is reinforced
through reading and discussions of epidemiology studies.
EPI 690 Field Placement (3)
Students are required to complete 240 hours of field
placement working closely with a field placement advisor
and/or student's faculty advisor on an epidemiological
project. A final written report and an oral seminar
presentation are required. Prerequisite: Consent of
advisor.
EPI 694 Directed Readings in Epidemiology (2-6)
Projects in areas of epidemiology, under the supervision
of a faculty member. A final written report will be
prepared. May be repeated once when topics differ
for a total of 6 hours. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
EPI 697 Independent Study and Research (1-6)
Independent study and research in selected areas of
epidemiology under the supervision of a faculty member.
A final written report will be prepared. May be repeated
once when topics differ for a total of 6 hours. Prerequisite:
Consent of instructor.
EPI 699 Master's Thesis in Epidemiology (2-6)
Research leading to an acceptable thesis for the Master's
Degree in Epidemiology. The research must include
data analysis and interpretation. Prerequisite: Consent
of thesis director.
EPI 701 Advanced Quantitative Methods for Epidemiology
(3)
The course covers quantitative methods used in epidemiologic
studies. The course will focus on statistical modeling
of epidemiologic data, including survival data analysis,
categorical data analysis and regression analyses
currently utilized in epidemiologic studies.
EPI 897 Independent Study and Research (2-6 credits)
Independent study and research in selected areas of
epidemiology at the graduate level, under the supervision
of a faculty member. A final written report will be
prepared. May be repeated once when the topics differ
for a total of 6 hours. Prerequisite: Permission of
instructor.
EPI 899 Doctoral Dissertation (1-12 credits)
Required of all Ph.D. students. Prerequisite: Permission
of dissertation advisor.
