Epidemiologic Methods in Health Services Research

EPI 235 Subject & Catalog Number

Description

This course is designed to introduce students to the application of standard and advanced epidemiologic methods to health services research (HSR). Students will learn to recognize the principles of epidemiology in HSR and applications in comparative effectiveness and patient-centered outcomes research, and understand the terminology and methods specific to the field. Threats to validity, including confounding and selection bias, and methods for their control will be discussed in a variety of settings, especially in studies of electronic databases, such as administrative claims and electronic health record data. Topics include time-series designs, prediction modeling/machine learning, evaluation of cost and quality outcomes, treatment adherence, geography and socioeconomic status, digital epidemiology, pragmatic trials, and research embedded within health care systems. The course is focused primarily on practical applications of these approaches, often with medication-based examples. The clinical, economic, policy, and public health impact of HSR will also be discussed. 

Course prerequisites: Pre-requisites: (ID200 or BIO200 or ID201 or BST201 or BST202&203 or BST206) AND (ID200 or EPI200 or EPI201 or EPI208 or EPI500 or ID201 or EPI505); may be taken concurrently. 
Non-HSPH students must request instructor permission