Course Level: Advanced

Course Objectives:

By the end of this training course, participants will:

• Understand the fundamental concepts of epidemiology and its importance in public health research.
• Familiarize participants with the Epidat/Epinfo software and its features for data management and analysis in epidemiological research.
• Learn how to create and design data entry forms using Epidat/Epinfo for efficient and accurate data collection.
• Develop skills in data cleaning, validation, and manipulation using Epidat/Epinfo to ensure data quality.
• Gain proficiency in generating descriptive statistics and analyzing epidemiological data using Epidat/Epinfo.
• Learn various study designs commonly used in epidemiology and how to apply them using Epidat/Epinfo.
• Understand the principles of outbreak investigation and surveillance and learn how to utilize Epidat/Epinfo for these purposes.
• Develop skills in spatial analysis and mapping of epidemiological data using Epidat/Epinfo and geographic information systems (GIS).
• Learn advanced analysis techniques such as regression analysis, time series analysis, and meta-analysis using Epidat/Epinfo.
• Understand the importance of quality assurance in epidemiological research and learn how to ensure data integrity and security using Epidat/Epinfo.
• Develop practical skills through hands-on exercises, case studies, and a final project applying Epidat/Epinfo to a real-world epidemiological research question.
• Enhance participants' ability to interpret and present epidemiological findings using Epidat/Epinfo in a clear and meaningful manner.

Module 1: Introduction to Epinfo/Epdata

• Overview of the software and its features
• Importance of Epinfo/Epdata in epidemiological research
• Installation and setup instructions

Module 2: Data Entry and Management

• Creating a new project and data entry forms
• Data validation and cleaning techniques
• Managing and organizing data within Epinfo/Epdata

Module 3: Descriptive Epidemiology

• Generating descriptive statistics using Epinfo/Epdata
• Calculating measures of disease frequency (e.g., incidence, prevalence)
• Creating tables and graphs for data visualization

Module 4: Study Design and Analysis

• Different study designs and their application in epidemiology
• Sample size calculation and sampling techniques
• Analyzing data using Epinfo/Epdata (e.g., chi-square tests, t-tests)

Module 5: Outbreak Investigation and Surveillance

• Using Epinfo/Epdata for outbreak investigation
• Setting up surveillance systems and analyzing surveillance data
• Interpreting and presenting findings from outbreak investigations

Module 6: Data Mapping and Spatial Analysis

• Introduction to GIS and its relevance in epidemiology
• Importing and analyzing spatial data in Epinfo/Epdata
• Creating maps and visualizing spatial patterns of diseases

Module 7: Advanced Analysis Techniques

• Regression analysis using Epinfo/Epdata
• Time series analysis and forecasting
• Meta-analysis and systematic reviews using Epinfo/Epdata

Module 8: Quality Assurance and Data Sharing

• Ensuring data quality and reliability
• Data security and confidentiality considerations
• Sharing and exporting data from Epinfo/Epdata

Module 9: Practical Exercises and Case Studies

• Hands-on exercises using Epinfo/Epdata software
• Analyzing real-world epidemiological datasets
• Case studies demonstrating the application of Epinfo/Epdata in epidemiological research