Last modified: 28 Jun 2018 10:27
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.
| Study Type | Postgraduate | Level | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Term | Second Term | Credit Points | 15 credits (7.5 ECTS credits) |
| Campus | Online | Sustained Study | No |
| Co-ordinators |
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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
Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.
Summative assessment consists of:
one hour short answer exam focused on key concepts (20%)
a data linkage protocol and data specification written report of 2000 words (60%)
a communicating with data exercise (1min podcast OR 1 page A4 graphical or narrative ‘data story’) (20%)
There are 2 formative assessments:
Feedback is provided throughout the course as students navigate the activities and assessments. There is also the opportunity to seek one to one feedback from tutors and the course coordinators (By arrangement)
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