VETS7011 Data Analysis for Policy Making

3

Online

Core

1

The aim of the Data Analysis for Policy Making unit of study is to give students an advanced understanding of the statistical methods commonly used to analyse epidemiological data, including:

• logistic and linear regression;
• survival analysis; modelling disease spread; presentation of descriptive and analytical research results; interpretation of research results for policy makers. This unit will coincide with the initial planning phase of the research project required of Masters students in the second year of the VPHMgt program.

In this course, students will work with existing data. Issues of developing a study design will not be dealt with. Students will however consider the impact of a particular study design on the interpretation of the data generated. After studying this unit students will be able to:

• identify potential sources of data and their strengths and weaknesses;
• identify and apply appropriate analytical and statistical methods for different purposes;
• analyse data using commonly available software programs;
• identify and manage potential bias and confounding in data;
• describe and interpret the results of data analysis;
• incorporate the outcomes of data analysis in policy development.

This unit of study builds on basic epidemiological knowledge and skills developed in Veterinary Epidemiology 1 and the Biostatistics Refresher course. The unit assumes an understanding of basic epidemiological principles, including:

• epidemic theory;
• measures of disease frequency and association;
• types of epidemiological studies and principles of study design;
• bias and confounding;
• performance of diagnostic tests (sensitivity, specificity, predictive values);
• familiarity with common software for management, manipulation and basic statistical analysis of data (Excel, EpiInfo v6.04d);
• ability to manage, recode, evaluate (conduct descriptive analyses) and create summaries (tables and charts) of data using Excel;
• knowledge of basic statistical methods including Chi-square, Fisher's exact test, McNemar's Chi-square, t-test and one-way analysis of variance;
• ability to analyse data using these basic statistical methods in Excel and EpiInfo.

Those students who have not done the elective unit of study Animal Health Data Management will need to pay particular attention to the above assumed knowledge and skills and undertake some practice activities if required. Links to EpiInfo Tutorials and information on the web:

• Northern health information partnership tutorial (Goal: USE EPIINFO 2000 TO ENTER AND ANALYZE DATA) - http://www.nhip.org/Learning%20Module/Epi2000/epiinfo2000.html;
• Northern health information partnership tutorial (Goal: to know enough about EpiInfo to be able to use the manual effectively) - http://www.nhip.org/Learning%20Module/epiinfo/fo.htm;
• CDC Tutorials (also PDF). Files necessary to complete the exercises - http://www.cdc.gov/epiinfo/tutorials.htm;
• A guided tour of EpiInfo - http://www.epiinformatics.com/IntroToEpiInfo.htm;
• A discussion list is available to help Epi INFO users to solve problems encountered. To join this list, send the message 'subscribe epi-info' with no body message, no object or signature to the following address: listserv@listserv.cdc.gov.

Assessment of the Data Analysis for Policy Making unit of study will include:

• participation in weekly online discussions and learning activities (15%);
• a group assignment (40%);
• an individual assignment (45%).

• Epidemiological Problem Solving
  Sergeant, E.S.G., Cameron, A. and Baldock, F.C., 2004
  AusVet Animal Health Services, Brisbane
  
  Suppliers:
  jmerchant@usyd.edu.au
  
  
• Veterinary Epidemiology
  Thrusfield, M., 03E06
  Blackwell Science, Oxford, UK
  
  Suppliers:
  Co-op Bookshop
  Amazon
  Discount Textbooks
  
  
• Survey Toolbox for Livestock Diseases
  Cameron, A., 1999
  ACIAR, Canberra
  
  Suppliers:
  ACIAR
  
  

• Dr Evan Sergeant
• Dr Angus Cameron