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Unit of study_
PUBH5010: Epidemiology Methods and Uses
2026 unit information
This unit provides students with core skills in epidemiology, particularly the ability to critically appraise public health and clinical epidemiological research literature regarding public health and clinical issues. This unit covers: study types; measures of frequency and association; measurement bias; confounding/effect modification; randomized trials; systematic reviews; screening and test evaluation; infectious disease outbreaks; measuring public health impact and use and interpretation of population health data. All classes and the end of semester exam are held in real time (live), and may be taken face to face or on-line, depending upon enrolment mode. Classes consist of a one-hour lecture/seminar and two-hour tutorial each week. Student attendance is expected at all classes. Students are expected to spend an additional one hour each week watching a pre-recorded lecture and at least three to four hours each week preparing for their classes.
Unit details and rules
Managing faculty or University school:
Medicine and Health
| Study level | Postgraduate |
|---|---|
| Academic unit | Public Health |
| Credit points | 6 |
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Prerequisites:
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None |
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Corequisites:
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None |
| Prohibitions:
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BSTA5011 |
| Assumed knowledge:
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None |
At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:
- LO1. identify whether the hypothesis of a paper is concerned with the efficacy of intervention, causality, test accuracy, or determining the magnitude of the health problem
- LO2. identify which study type has been used, and judge how this affects the interpretation of the results
- LO3. calculate and interpret measures of disease frequency and measures of association
- LO4. identify and assess the implications of the main forms of bias (selection, measurement, confounding, lead time, and length time) in epidemiological and clinical medicine research
- LO5. distinguish which of the methodological flaws in any paper are the most important
- LO6. assess the overall quality of a research paper or report concerned with defining the magnitude of a health problem, evaluating the effect of a health intervention, causal inference, evaluating screening tests, and interpreting their use in different populations
- LO7. assess the reliability, validity, and efficacy of a diagnostic test
- LO8. (critically) appraise and use a systematic review
- LO9. assess infectious disease outbreaks
- LO10. identify and interpret key sources of population health data.
Unit availability
This section lists the session, attendance modes and locations the unit is available in. There is a unit outline for each of the unit availabilities, which gives you information about the unit including assessment details and a schedule of weekly activities.
The outline is published 2 weeks before the first day of teaching. You can look at previous outlines for a guide to the details of a unit.
| Session | MoA ? | Location | Outline ? |
|---|---|---|---|
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Semester 1 2026
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Distance education/intensive on campus | Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney |
Outline unavailable
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Semester 1 2026
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Normal day | Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney |
Outline unavailable
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Semester 1 2026
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Normal evening | Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney |
Outline unavailable
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Semester 1 2026
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Online | Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney |
Outline unavailable
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Modes of attendance (MoA)
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