Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Research Methods

Foundations of epidemiology; measuring health and disease; study design; random error; bias; association and causation; prevention and screening; communicable disease; environmental and occupational health; basic statistical concepts; measurement, accuracy and precision; probability; descriptive statistics; hypothesis testing; critical review of the literature; research question and definition of problem; formulation of hypotheses and objectives; population and sampling; sample size estimation; variables and data collection methods; data management and analysis; interpretation, report writing and dissemination; ethics; budgeting and accounting.

• To teach epidemiological concepts of incidence, prevalence, population at risk, aetiology.  The course will teach skills and principles required in the design of research and the use of research findings to plan, organise and evaluate mental health programmes.