Research Synthesis & Meta-Analysis

EPI 233 Subject & Catalog Number

Description

This course addresses the growing need to synthesize biological and clinical research to inform etiologic understanding and public health decision-making. It introduces the principles and practice of systematic reviews and meta-analysis, with a focus on how to critically evaluate and combine evidence across studies.

Students will receive step-by-step guidance on designing, conducting, and interpreting systematic reviews, especially those that incorporate meta-analysis. Topics include literature search strategies, reference management, estimation of pooled effects, sources of heterogeneity and bias, and practical applications in public health research.

The course will also include optional enrichment sessions introducing extensions such as dose-response, Bayesian, network, diagnostic, and umbrella meta-analysis.

No prior experience with R is required. Instruction in R will be provided throughout the course, with additional support available for students who prefer to work in Stata.

Course Activities: Students will learn the core components of a systematic review, apply meta-analysis methods using real and example datasets, use statistical software (R, with optional Stata support) to implement course concepts, and complete a final publishable manuscript involving a critical review or meta-analysis on a topic of their choice, including appropriate weighting of effect estimates, assessment of uncertainty, and integration of evidence across studies.

No auditing. This course may only be taken for credit.