Epidemiology

Code:

MV412

Acronym:

EP

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Food Hygiene

Instance: 2021/2022 - 1S (of 20-09-2021 to 14-01-2022)

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Population Studies
Course/CS Responsible:	Integrated Masters Degree in Veterinary Medicine

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MIMV	49	Official Study Plan	4	-	4,5	56	121,5

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

It is intended that students acquire detailed knowledge about the nature and scope  of epidemiology, its foundations and how to operate the characterization and study of animal diseases. The aim is also to teach the principles, methods and organizational structure used in the management and control of animal health and to establish relationships between the epidemiology and veterinary public health.

Learning outcomes and competences

Students will be able of mastering the principles of causality, namely calculating epidemiological indicators such as prevalence, survival incidênciae; designing epidemiological studies to particular questionnaires, sampling design and scale samples, process the data and establish associations. Acquire knowledge about fiundamentos, objectives and methodology of control of diseases in animal populations.

Working method

Presencial

Pre-requirements (prior knowledge) and co-requirements (common knowledge)

Basic statistics; Parasitology, Clinic and Pathology; Animal Production; Infectious Diseases.

Program

The program is developed over twenty-eight hours of lectures and the corresponding practical classes. Six additional hours devoted to evaluation. The classes are distributed in the following sections:

• Chapter I. Presentation of the teaching team and the discipline.

• Chapter II. Concepts of causality. Types of studies design and studies in epidemiology and interpretation of their results. Observational and experimental studies.

• Chapter III. Determinants of health and disease. Data acquisition processes, storage, processing and data management. Sampling: theory and procedures. Analysis of data and information. Collection, analysis and interpretation of laboratory results. Hypothesis testing, and data analysis with particular emphasis on data from observational studies.

• Chapter IV. Indicators used in the characterization of diseases: prevalence, incidence, survival. Epidemiology of communicable diseases and their control in animal populations.

• Chapter V. General principles of animal health economics. Organization of veterinary services at international and national level and programs of health management in animal production.

Mandatory literature

Smith Ronald D.; Veterinary clinical epidemiology
Dirk U. Pfeiffer; Veterinary Epidemiology - An Introduction. , The Royal Veterinary College, University of London. , 2002
Hans Houe, Annette Kjaer Ersbooll, Nils Toft; Introduction to veterinary epidemiology, Biofolia, 2004. ISBN: 87-9131-921-8
Thrusfield Michael; Veterinary epidemiology. ISBN: 0-632-04036-X

Teaching methods and learning activities

Lectures, encouraging the participation of students. Troubleshooting computerized environment in the pratical classroom.

Software

WIN EPI

keywords

Health sciences > Medical sciences > Veterinary medicine > Zoonesis
Health sciences > Medical sciences > Veterinary medicine > Animal health

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Exame	45,00
Participação presencial	15,00
Trabalho escrito	40,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Apresentação/discussão de um trabalho científico	30,00
Estudo autónomo	35,50
Frequência das aulas	56,00
Total:	121,50

Eligibility for exams

Attendance at lectures optional. Attendance compulsory at practical classes - considering there are 14 weeks of actual practices classes are allowed absences to no more than 3 classes.

Calculation formula of final grade

The method followed is the evaluation without final exam. Components of evaluation: • Two written tests - individual [T]. Minimum passing grade in each test, seven (7) values. • Practical work done in class [P]. • A monograph with additional presentations by group. Discussion of the monograph in the last weeks of the semester on a date to combine [M]. • Evaluation System: Final [NF] = [T * 0.5] + [P * 0.15] + [M * 0.35]. • Approves the discipline who have NF equal or more than 10 points, with a grade equal or more than 10 in the components T and M and attendance confirmed to component P. In case of failure in the written component [EF], notes of the remaining components will be saved for the following year, just for that year.

Examinations or Special Assignments

A monograph prepared, presented and discussed in groups.

Classification improvement

Oral exam at the end of the semester.