Time Schedule:
Stephen Sze-Ping Lim
G H 533
Seattle Campus
Introduces approaches for measuring population health such as burden of disease methods. Provides an understanding of the technical basis, uses, and limitations of these methods, particularly in developing countries. Predominantly quantitative. Recommended: G H 515. Offered: W.
Class description
This course is designed to introduce students to the definition and measurement of population health. It is predominantly quantitative and is designed primarily for PhD students. It will provide an overview of the conceptual, methodological and empirical basis for quantifying levels of health in individuals and populations, including the construction of a range of different summary measures that combine information on mortality and non-fatal health outcomes. The course will also introduce students to the concepts and application of causal attribution of summary measures of population health to risk factors. It aims to give students an understanding of the technical basis for measurement in international work on population health; and to give students an appreciation of the uses and limitations of these methods, particularly in developing countries.
Student learning goals
Describe the rationale, conceptual and historical basis of population health measurement
Critically examine different summary measures of population health;
Compare data collection systems for population health measurement, their strengths and weaknesses and the key challenges facing these systems;
Recognize the challenges and contrast methods used to measure mortality
Compare the advantages and disadvantages of different methods for combining multi-dimensional information into measures of overall health-state levels
Describe the concepts and methods of causal attribution of summary measures of population health to risk factors, and its applications in disease prevention
General method of instruction
The main method of instruction for this course is through lecture presentations (two each week). There is also, one hour quiz section attributed to this course which is facilitated by the teaching assistant.
Recommended preparation
GH 515 or permission of instructor.
Class assignments and grading
Students will be assigned problem sets that accompany the introduction of new material. Each problem set will build upon the previous assignment.
Final grades for the course will be based on class participation (10%), homework (35%) and final exam (55%)
