Course introduction

Course introduction Preben Aavitsland

EpiTrain • EpiTrain within the EpiNorth framework • First in a series of three courses • Advanced epidemiology • For senior epidemiologists • English only • Financed by • European Commission • Nordic Council of Ministers • Participating institutes

Teaching methods • Lectures • With time for questions • Group work • Organised larger groups • Ad hoc, small groups during lectures • Presentations of group work • Written material

Preben Aavitsland, MD Norwegian Institute of Public Health Hanna Nohynek, MD PhD National Public Health Institute, Finland Fredrik Liljeros, PhD Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control Markku Kuusi, MD PhD National Public Health Institute, Finland. Hanne-Merete Eriksen, MSc, Epiet Norwegian Institute of Public Health. Germain Thinus European Commission, Luxembourg. __________________________________ Hans Blystad, MD Norwegian Institute of Public Health. Øistein Løvoll, MD Norwegian Institute of Public Health. __________________________________ Stein Andresen DDS Norwegian Institute of Public Health Elena Torgersen PhD Norwegian Institute of Public Health Faculty and administration

Contents - 1 • Vaccinology (H Nohynek) • Performance indicators • Adverse events surveillance • Introduction of new vaccine • Groups: Hib-infection, hepatitis B, rubella, pneumococcal infections • Communication (P Aavitsland) • Presentation • Risk communication • Scientific writing

Contents - 2 • Social networks (F Liljeros) • EU issues (G Thinus, H Blystad, S Andresen, P Aavitsland) • Public Health Programme • EpiNorth • European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control • Eurosurveillance • ESSTI • Other networks

Contents - 3 • Case-control studies (P Aavitsland, H Eriksen) • Design • Choosing cases and controls • Bias and confounding • Analysis • Study protocol (H Eriksen, P Aavitsland) • Lecture • Group work

Main group work - introduction • Make a study protocol for a case-control study • Based on a template for study protocols • Four groups of six people • Each group elects • Chair • Secretary (must have/borrow PC) • Presenter (may be one of the two above) • All participate in discussion • Hard, interesting and rewarding work • May divide in sub-groups for certain tasks • Light facilitation by Preben and Hanne • Questions and problems also in plenary

Monday (2 h) Elect chair, secretary, presenter 2 Bakground and justifications 3 Objectives and research question Tuesday (4 h) 4 Methods Appendices Wednesday (2 h) 5 Ethical considerations 1, 6-9 Administrative issues Thursday (1,5 h) Finalise protocol Revisit all issues Prepare presentation Saturday (3 h) Present and discuss Main group work – suggested timeline

Tick borne encephalitis Syphilis Legionellosis outbreak Nosocomical urinary tract infections Topics for main group work

Why case-control study • Best way to acquire knowledge about causes and protective factors of disease • Both for outbreaks and endemic diseases • Easy to perform and analyse • Needs thorough planning • Next step after surveillance and outbreak investigations

Course introduction