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PU5532: HEALTH INFORMATICS (2020-2021)

Last modified: 05 Aug 2021 13:04


Course Overview

We live in a time of ‘Big Data’ with the rapid growth in the digital capture of health information. Health Informatics is the science of data capture, linkage and analysis of large datasets to improve health. The demand for health researchers with training and experience in health informatics is high. For people practicing in Public Health, it is a key skill. It will equip students for any career in health research or public health practice and this course is an excellent stepping stone for those wishing to develop a specialist interest in the field.

Course Details

Study Type Postgraduate Level 5
Term Second Term Credit Points 15 credits (7.5 ECTS credits)
Campus Aberdeen Sustained Study No
Co-ordinators
  • Professor Corri Black
  • Ms Katie Wilde

What courses & programmes must have been taken before this course?

  • Any Postgraduate Programme

What other courses must be taken with this course?

None.

What courses cannot be taken with this course?

None.

Are there a limited number of places available?

No

Course Description

The aim of the course is to support students to critically understand the breadth of Health Informatics, the opportunities to utilise health informatics research to benefit public health and healthcare, the legal and ethical challenges and key methodological considerations.
The course covers the core concepts of health informatics research including data sources, data gathering, data quality, ethics and governance, linkage, and data specification. It will prepare students with the core skills and knowledge that will be required to undertake basic data linkage and health informatics research. Exemplars will be used to support discussions of the breath of health informatics research.
By completing the course, students will be able to:
1. Describe the relevance of health informatics in research and to public health and care
2. Demonstrate an understanding of the ethical, confidentiality, data protection and information governance issues relating to Health Informatics Research and population statistics
3. Identify key data resources for understanding health
4. Undertake and understand the principles of data linkage
5. Produce a data specification for a data linkage study
6. Communicate health informatics from routine health data
7. Explore cutting edge opportunities for health informatics research


Details, including assessments, may be subject to change until 30 August 2024 for 1st term courses and 20 December 2024 for 2nd term courses.

Summative Assessments

MCQ online test (20%)

Essay (20%)

Final report (60%)

Resit for students taking the course in AY20/21:

Oral examination (100%)

Formative Assessment

There are no assessments for this course.

Course Learning Outcomes

Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
ProceduralApplyUnderstand and apply health informatics in research and to public health and care
ProceduralEvaluateUnderstand and apply the principles of data linkage
ProceduralCreateCreate a data specification for a data linkage study
ReflectionEvaluateUnderstand and evaluate the ethical, confidentiality, data protection and information governance issues relating to Health Informatics Research and population statistics
ReflectionEvaluateEvaluate key data resources for understanding health
ReflectionCreateCreate effective communications of health information from routine health data

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