BNS 112: Epidemiology & Biostatistics
FOUNDATIONS • MODULE 1
Introductory Concepts & Descriptive Epidemiology
Definitions, Scope & Causation Models
- Subtopic: Definition, Historical Development, Aims, and Scope of Epidemiology
- Subtopic: The Epidemiologic Triangle: Host, Agent, and Environmental Interactions
- Subtopic: Rothman’s Causal Pies & Sufficient, Component, and Necessary Causes
- Subtopic: Bradford Hill Criteria for Establishing Epidemiological Causality
- Subtopic: Natural History of Disease: Susceptibility, Subclinical, Clinical & Outcome Stages
- Subtopic: Levels of Disease Prevention: Primordial, Primary, Secondary & Tertiary Prevention
Descriptive Epidemiology & Disease Frequency
- Subtopic: Disease Classification Systems (ICD-11) and Descriptive Epidemiology Frameworks
- Subtopic: Measures of Morbidity: Incidence Rate vs. Cumulative Incidence (Attack Rate)
- Subtopic: Measures of Morbidity: Point Prevalence vs. Period Prevalence & Relationship to Duration
- Subtopic: Measures of Mortality: Crude Death Rate, Cause-Specific Mortality & Case Fatality Rates
- Subtopic: Infant Mortality Rate (IMR), Under-5 Mortality & Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR)
- Subtopic: Adjusted and Standardized Rates (Direct vs. Indirect Age Standardization)
- Subtopic: Classification of Causes of Death, Verbal Autopsies & Registration Limitations in Uganda
DISEASE CONTROL • MODULE 2
Disease Transmission, Screening & Outbreak Investigation
Transmission Dynamics & Population Screening
- Subtopic: Determinants of Disease Transmission: Reservoirs, Portals, and Modes of Spread
- Subtopic: Concepts of Herd Immunity, Basic Reproduction Number (R0), and Epidemic Thresholds
- Subtopic: Principles and Criteria for Mass Disease Screening (Wilson & Jungner Criteria)
- Subtopic: Screening Test Evaluation: Mathematical Calculation of Sensitivity and Specificity
- Subtopic: Positive Predictive Value (PPV) and Negative Predictive Value (NPV) Influenced by Disease Prevalence
- Subtopic: Screening Biases: Lead-Time Bias, Length Bias & Selection/Volunteer Bias
Disease Surveillance & Epidemic Outbreak Investigation
- Subtopic: Public Health Surveillance: Active, Passive, Sentinel, and Syndromic Surveillance Systems
- Subtopic: Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) Strategy in Uganda
- Subtopic: Differentiating Endemic, Epidemic, Pandemic, Sporadic, and Cluster Outbreaks
- Subtopic: Ten Systematic Steps of an Epidemiological Disease Outbreak Investigation
- Subtopic: Constructing and Interpreting Epidemic Curves (Point Source, Continuous Common Source, Propagated)
- Subtopic: Calculation and Application of Attack Rates and Secondary Attack Rates
- Subtopic: Formulating, Implementing, and Evaluating Outbreak Containment Measures
DEMOGRAPHY • MODULE 3
Principles in Demography & Population Dynamics
Demographic Data, Size & Composition
- Subtopic: Nature, Scope, and Importance of Demography in Nursing and Healthcare Planning
- Subtopic: Sources of Demographic Data: National Census (De Facto vs. De Jure), Civil Registration & Vital Statistics (CRVS)
- Subtopic: Demographic and Health Surveys (Uganda Demographic and Health Survey - UDHS)
- Subtopic: Evaluating the Quality, Incompleteness, and Errors in Demographic Data
- Subtopic: Basic Demographic Measurements: Ratios, Proportions, and Rates
- Subtopic: Population Size, Distribution, Density, and Age-Sex Composition
- Subtopic: Construction, Analysis, and Interpretation of Population Pyramids (Expansive, Constrictive, Stationary)
- Subtopic: Dependency Ratios (Youth, Old-Age, Total Dependency) and the Demographic Dividend
Demographic Processes & Population Policy
- Subtopic: Demographic Processes: Fertility Concepts, Crude Birth Rate (CBR) & General Fertility Rate (GFR)
- Subtopic: Total Fertility Rate (TFR), Gross Reproduction Rate & Net Reproduction Rate
- Subtopic: Mortality Processes: Infant, Child, Adult Mortality Trends, and Life Expectancy at Birth
- Subtopic: Internal and International Migration: Push-Pull Factors, Brain Drain, and Urbanization
- Subtopic: The Demographic Transition Model (DTM): Stages and Epidemiological Transition Theory
- Subtopic: Population Projections: Arithmetic, Geometric, and Exponential Growth Models
- Subtopic: National Population Policies in Uganda, Resource Allocation, and Sustainable Development Goals
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY • MODULE 4
Epidemiological Study Designs: Observational & Experimental
Observational Epidemiological Study Designs
- Subtopic: Taxonomy and Hierarchy of Evidence in Epidemiological Research Designs
- Subtopic: Descriptive Studies: Case Reports, Case Series, and Ecological (Correlational) Studies
- Subtopic: Ecological Fallacy: Conceptual Definition, Mechanisms, and Methodological Avoidance
- Subtopic: Cross-Sectional Studies (Prevalence Surveys): Methodology, Advantages, and Limitations
- Subtopic: Case-Control Studies: Design, Selection of Cases and Controls, Matching, and Recall Bias
- Subtopic: Cohort Studies (Prospective and Retrospective): Design, Loss to Follow-Up, and Risk Assessment
- Subtopic: Nested Case-Control and Case-Cohort Study Frameworks
Experimental Study Designs (Intervention Studies)
- Subtopic: Principles of Experimental Epidemiology: Manipulation, Randomization, and Control Groups
- Subtopic: Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs): Parallel, Crossover, and Factorial Trial Designs
- Subtopic: Randomization Techniques: Simple, Blocked, and Stratified Randomization
- Subtopic: Blinding (Masking): Single-Blind, Double-Blind, Triple-Blind Trials & Placebo Control
- Subtopic: Phases of Clinical Trials (Phase I, Phase II, Phase III, Phase IV Post-Marketing Surveillance)
- Subtopic: Community Intervention Trials and Field Trials: Design and Public Health Applications
- Subtopic: Intention-to-Treat (ITT) Analysis vs. Per-Protocol Analysis in Clinical Trials
- Subtopic: Ethical Considerations, Equipoise, Informed Consent, and Institutional Review Boards (IRB)
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EPIDEMIOLOGIC METRICS • MODULE 5
Measures of Association, Bias, Confounding & Validity
Measures of Association & Impact
- Subtopic: Construction of 2x2 Contingency Tables for Exposure and Disease Outbreak Data
- Subtopic: Risk Ratio / Relative Risk (RR): Mathematical Calculation and Clinical Interpretation in Cohorts
- Subtopic: Odds Ratio (OR): Calculation in Case-Control Studies and Interpretation as an Estimate of RR
- Subtopic: Attributable Risk (Risk Difference / Absolute Risk Reduction): Calculation and Utility
- Subtopic: Attributable Risk Percent (Etiologic Fraction Among the Exposed)
- Subtopic: Population Attributable Risk (PAR) and Population Attributable Risk Fraction (PARF)
- Subtopic: Number Needed to Treat (NNT) and Number Needed to Harm (NNH) in Clinical Interventions
Validity, Errors, Bias & Confounding
- Subtopic: Internal Validity vs. External Validity (Generalizability) in Epidemiologic Studies
- Subtopic: Random Error vs. Systematic Error in Population Studies
- Subtopic: Selection Bias: Berkson’s Bias, Healthy Worker Effect, Loss to Follow-Up, and Volunteer Bias
- Subtopic: Information (Measurement) Bias: Recall Bias, Interviewer Bias, Misclassification (Differential vs. Non-Differential)
- Subtopic: Confounding: Definition, Criteria for a Confounder, and Difference from Effect Modification
- Subtopic: Methods to Control Confounding in the Design Phase: Randomization, Restriction, and Matching
- Subtopic: Methods to Control Confounding in the Analysis Phase: Stratification and Multivariable Modeling
BIOSTATISTICS • MODULE 6
Biostatistics Principles, Variables & Sampling Theory
Foundations of Biostatistics & Data Types
- Subtopic: Definition, Role, and Relevance of Biostatistics in Medicine, Nursing, and Healthcare Research
- Subtopic: Scales of Measurement: Nominal, Ordinal, Interval, and Ratio Variables
- Subtopic: Qualitative (Categorical) Variables: Binary, Nominal, and Ordinal Classifications
- Subtopic: Quantitative (Numerical) Variables: Discrete vs. Continuous Health Metrics
- Subtopic: Dependent (Outcome) vs. Independent (Exposure/Predictor) Variables in Research Hypotheses
- Subtopic: Data Collection Methods, Instrument Design, Coding, Verification, and Data Cleaning Techniques
- Subtopic: Data Quality Assurance, Missing Data Handling, and Data Transformation Modalities
Sampling Theory, Methods & Sample Size Estimation
- Subtopic: Target Population, Accessible Population, Sampling Frame, and Sample Elements
- Subtopic: Sampling Distribution of the Mean, Central Limit Theorem, and Standard Error (SE)
- Subtopic: Probability Sampling: Simple Random Sampling (Random Numbers, Lottery)
- Subtopic: Probability Sampling: Stratified Random Sampling (Proportional vs. Disproportional)
- Subtopic: Probability Sampling: Systematic Sampling with Calculation of Sampling Interval (k)
- Subtopic: Probability Sampling: Cluster Sampling and Complex Multistage Sampling Designs
- Subtopic: Non-Probability Sampling: Convenience, Quota, Judgmental/Purposive, and Snowball Sampling
- Subtopic: Sample Size Calculation Formulas for Single Proportions (Kish Leslie Formula)
- Subtopic: Sample Size Determination for Comparing Two Means and Two Proportions
- Subtopic: Sampling Strategies in Chemical, Biological, and Hospital Laboratory Experiments
DESCRIPTIVE BIOSTATISTICS • MODULE 7
Descriptive Statistics, Probability Theory & Data Presentation
Measures of Central Tendency & Dispersion
- Subtopic: Measures of Central Tendency: Arithmetic Mean, Weighted Mean, Median, and Mode
- Subtopic: Selection Criteria for Appropriate Central Tendency Measures in Symmetrical vs. Skewed Data
- Subtopic: Measures of Dispersion: Range, Interquartile Range (IQR), and Percentiles
- Subtopic: Variance and Standard Deviation (SD): Calculation, Properties, and Practical Interpretation
- Subtopic: Coefficient of Variation (CV) for Comparing Dispersion Between Differing Clinical Datasets
- Subtopic: Measures of Distribution Shape: Skewness (Positive/Right vs. Negative/Left) and Kurtosis
Probability Distributions & Data Presentation
- Subtopic: Basic Probability Concepts: Sample Spaces, Mutually Exclusive Events, and Independent Events
- Subtopic: Addition Rule, Multiplication Rule, and Conditional Probability in Clinical Diagnostics
- Subtopic: Theoretical Probability Distributions: Binomial Distribution and Poisson Distribution
- Subtopic: The Normal (Gaussian) Distribution: Properties, Bell Curve, and the 68-95-99.7 Empirical Rule
- Subtopic: Standard Normal Distribution, Calculation and Interpretation of Standardized Z-Scores
- Subtopic: Graphical Presentation: Frequency Polygons, Histograms, Stem-and-Leaf Displays, and Box-and-Whisker Plots
- Subtopic: Categorical Data Displays: Frequency Distribution Tables, Bar Charts, Pie Charts, and Scatter Plots
INFERENTIAL BIOSTATISTICS • MODULE 8
Inferential Statistics, Hypothesis Testing & Regression
Hypothesis Testing & Parameter Estimation
- Subtopic: Principles of Statistical Inference: Point Estimation vs. Interval Estimation
- Subtopic: Confidence Intervals: 95% and 99% Confidence Intervals for Means and Proportions
- Subtopic: Formulating Statistical Hypotheses: Null Hypothesis (H0) vs. Alternative Hypothesis (H1)
- Subtopic: Type I Error (Alpha, Level of Significance) and Type II Error (Beta)
- Subtopic: Statistical Power ($1 - \beta$): Determinants, Sample Size Implications, and Clinical Relevance
- Subtopic: P-Values: Concept, One-Tailed vs. Two-Tailed Tests, and Clinical vs. Statistical Significance
Parametric, Non-Parametric & Regression Tests
- Subtopic: Student’s t-Test: One-Sample t-Test, Independent Two-Sample t-Test & Paired t-Test
- Subtopic: One-Way and Two-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA): F-Statistic and Post-Hoc Tests (Tukey)
- Subtopic: Chi-Square ($\chi^2$) Test of Independence and Goodness-of-Fit (Degrees of Freedom, Yates' Correction)
- Subtopic: Fisher's Exact Test for Small Expected Frequencies in 2x2 Tables
- Subtopic: Non-Parametric Tests: Mann-Whitney U Test, Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test & Kruskal-Wallis Test
- Subtopic: Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient ($r$) and Spearman Rank Correlation ($\rho$)
- Subtopic: Simple Linear Regression: Regression Equation, Slope ($\beta$), Intercept, and Coefficient of Determination ($R^2$)
- Subtopic: Introduction to Multivariable Linear Regression and Multiple Logistic Regression Models
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HEALTH ANALYTICS • MODULE 9
Biostatistics in Healthcare Decision Making & Health Policy
Data Use in Healthcare Planning & Disaster Modeling
- Subtopic: Translating Epidemiological and Biostatistical Data into National Health Policies
- Subtopic: Evidence-Based Decision Making in Hospital Administration and Public Health Programs
- Subtopic: Using Health Management Information System (HMIS) Analytics to Evaluate Health Targets
- Subtopic: Statistical Predictive Modeling for Communicable Disease Outbreaks (Malaria, Cholera, Ebola)
- Subtopic: Biostatistical Modeling to Forecast Health Emergencies, Resource Shortages, and Disasters
- Subtopic: Statistical Quality Control Methods in Hospital Audits and Patient Safety Monitoring
Prescribed Textbooks & References
Core academic textbooks, epidemiological guides, and biostatistical manuals prescribed by the NCHE Bachelor of Nursing Science syllabus.
- Gordis, L. (2004). Epidemiology (3rd ed.). Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders Company.
- Bonita, R., Beaglehole, R. & Kjellström, T. (2007). Basic Epidemiology (2nd ed.). Geneva: World Health Organization.
- Jekel, J.F., Katz, D.L. & Elmore, J.G. (2007). Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Preventive Medicine (3rd ed.). Philadelphia: Saunders / Elsevier.
- Bhopal, R.S. (2008). Concepts of Epidemiology: Integrating the Ideas, Theories, Principles, and Methods of Epidemiology (2nd ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Bland, M. (2000). An Introduction to Medical Statistics (3rd ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Campbell, M.J., Machin, D. & Walters, S.J. (2007). Medical Statistics: A Textbook for the Health Sciences (4th ed.). Chichester: John Wiley & Sons.
- Dinitz, M. (2004). Medical Statistics Made Easy. London: Taylor & Francis Group.
- Yaukey, D., Anderton, D.L. & Lundquist, J.H. (2007). Demography: Analysis and Synthesis. Long Grove: Waveland Press.
- Moon, G. & Gould, M. (2000). Epidemiology: An Introduction. Buckingham: Open University Press.
- World Health Organization (2002). Basic Epidemiology. Geneva: WHO.
Follow your university’s current approved course outline for official course codes, teaching order and assessments. This directory organises supplementary revision resources.
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