Epidemiology and International Public Health

Unit Code

00195

Department/Institution Offering Unit

Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health Research
The Macfarlane Burnet Institute for Medical Research and Public Health 85 Commercial Road
Victoria 3004 Australia

web: www.epi.burnet.edu.au

Unit Points

Research Points: 87.5

Coursework Points: 12.5

top of page

Contacts

Unit Coordinator/s:

Dr Campbell Aitken
Epidemiology & Social Research Program
The Macfarlane Burnet Institute
Commercial Road
Victoria 3004 Australia

tel: +61 3 9282 2114
fax: +61 3 9282 2144
email: aitken@burnet.edu.au

top of page

Overall Objectives

• To provide an introduction to the principles, processes and practice of epidemiology and public health program design implementation and evaluation, with emphasis upon communicable diseases of humans
• To encourage the development of autonomy in understanding the background to epidemiologic and public health problems, defining those problems, understanding and developing methods to solve those problems, interpreting epidemiologic and public health data, and synthesizing that data into oral presentations and written reports

top of page

Content

Coursework: Intermediate Epidemiology and Biostatistics.

Research: An original, supervised project, to be negotiated between the student and a senior scientist at the Macfarlane Burnet Institute.

Sample Research Topics:

1. The prevalence and risk factors leading to the transmission of blood-borne viruses in injecting drug-users in Melbourne
2. Studying the relationships between injecting drug use and psychiatric illness
3. Understanding the natural history and access and use of health services by injecting drug users following recent hepatitis C virus infection
4. Determining the knowledge and practices of general practitioners in relation to genital chlamydia infection
5. HIV in women - understanding who is becoming infected and their access to community and health services
6. The prevalence and risk factors leading to the transmission of blood-borne viruses in Victorian Correctional Facilities

top of page

Assessment Breakdown

Research Component: 87.5 points
Research Report (up to 9,000 words): 85%
Assessment of field work through evaluations of oral presentations during the year: 10%


Coursework Component: 12.5 points
Intermediate Epidemiology and Biostatistics will be assessed as per subject description.

top of page

Student Numbers

Number of places available:
2