Methods for outcome evaluation of public health interventions, 7.5 credits

A Bachelor’s degree or a professional degree equivalent to a Swedish Bachelor’s degree of at least 180 credits in public health science, healthcare or other relevant social sciences subject area. And proficiency in English equivalent to English B/English 6.

Overall aim of the course is to build capacity in the evaluation of complex interventions ordinary carried out in public health.

On completion of the course the student should be able to:
- formulate evaluation question(s) relevant to the outcome(s) of specific projects/types of intervention,
- choose an evaluation design and justify the choice based on the purpose and type of intervention, the desired level of inference, and cost,
- identify indicators and standards for the evaluation,
- identify sources of information and type of data necessary to answer the evaluation question(s),
- identify possible confounding factors when establishing the causal role of a given intervention on the projected outcome,
- discuss pros and cons of different evaluation designs.

During the course, principles of epidemiologic study design and of scientific inference will be applied to the task of evaluating the outcome of public health interventions in several fields (e.g. infectious disease control programs, lifestyle modification, etc.). Leading track of the course will be an appraisal of the complexity of this evaluation, implying both systemic and individual changes, as well as both distal and proximal outcomes. Topics will include: goals of evaluation and types of evaluation questions in Public Health, related to the concepts of outcome, process, reach, impact and equity; design and analysis of studies of intervention outcomes, such as randomized controlled trials (individual- or cluster-based) controlled non-randomized trial, pre-post comparisons, natural experiments, ecologic studies and other observational studies; the use of intermediate outcomes to understand how an intervention works; processes to be monitored in evaluating interventions in natural field conditions, such as adaptation and dissemination.

A combination of the following working methods will be employed: lectures, self-assessing exercises with or without computer assistance; group work with assignment; individual work with assignment; literature review; oral communication. A progression will be established from the first two weeks (introductory and preparatory) where there will be a preponderance of lecture and individual exercise to the successive three weeks, with an increasing emphasis on applications and decision making.

The examination will consist of three components:
a. a short written essay on the evaluation exercise developed in the last 2 weeks of the course, performed as group assignment. Graded Pass, Pass with distinction or Fail.
b. an oral presentation relative to the methods/results/conclusions of this evaluation, performed as individual assignment. Graded Pass, Pass with distinction or Fail.
c. an individual test in form of close-ended questions. Graded Pass, Passed with distinction or Fail.

components a and b are carried out in groups, while the components c  is individual.

To obtain the grade Pass on the course the student must be awarded Pass on all three examination components. To obtain the grade Pass with distinction the student must be awarded Pass with distinction on component c and on component a or b and Pass on remaining component.

Compulsory participation
Group work and completion of assignments are compulsory. The course director assesses if and, in that case, how failure to comply with compulsory tasks can be compensated. Before the student has participated in all compulsory parts or compensated absence in accordance with the course director's instructions, the student's results for the course will not be registered in LADOK.

Limited number of examinations or practical training sessions:

The student has the right to write the exam six times. If the student has not passed the exam after four participations he/she is encouraged to visit the study counselor.

The number of times that the student has participated in one and the same examination is regarded as an examination session. Submission of a blank examination is regarded as an examination. An examination for which the student registered but not participated in, will not be counted as an examination.

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Examination will be provided during a time of two years after a possible cancellation of the course. Examination can take place according to an earlier literature list during a time of one year after the date when a major renewal of the literature list has been made.

The course has been cancelled and offered for the last time spring 2016. Examination according to this syllabus will be offered for the last time spring 2018 for students that did not pass the course.
 

Course evaluation will be carried out in accordance with the guidelines established by the Board of Education.

The course language is English.