PU5031: EVIDENCE-BASED HEALTH (2018-2019)

Last modified: 22 May 2019 17:07

Course Overview

This course is taken by students registered for the PGCert in Research Methods for Health and the MPH. It is delivered online and provides interaction with fellow students and faculty both synchronously and asynchronously. Everyone taking part must be registered for the course and complete all assessments. This course aims to enable the fundamental understanding and application of evidence based health at an individual- and population-level, focusing on the use of systematic reviews to synthesise evidence as well as methods to translate and implement evidence to inform health practice and policy.

Course Details

Study Type	Postgraduate	Level	5
Term	First Term	Credit Points	15 credits (7.5 ECTS credits)
Campus	Online	Sustained Study	No
Co-ordinators	Dr Mairead Black

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

Any Postgraduate Programme (Studied)

What other courses must be taken with this course?

None.

What courses cannot be taken with this course?

PU5526 Systematic Reviewing (Studied)

Are there a limited number of places available?

Course Description

This course is delivered online. Learning material will comprise a range of media, using asynchronous delivery. The course includes pre-recorded contributions from a wide range of experts in systematic reviewing / evidence synthesis and in translating evidence into policy. The course will be divided into units which consist of podcasts, study notes and seminars. The course is accompanied by an online discussion board which students are encouraged to use. Each week one of the tutor team monitors the board and responds to queries about the course material. The more the board is used, the more ideas are shared between students.

Contact Teaching Time

Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.

Teaching Breakdown

More Information about Week Numbers

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

Practical exercise: Data extraction, quality assessment (using a validated tool appropriate to the study design) and synthesis (40%) You will work through this exercise at your own pace - with approximately two weeks to complete this after week 6; Marked case-study: develop a strategy for the implementation of the evidence at an individual- and population-level. (30%) You will select a review or guideline (from a limited choice) and provide a structured description of how you would implement the evidence at an individual and / or population level; Timed short answer assessment (open book) (30%) You will have one hour, at the time of your choice during week 12 to complete a short answer assessment covering material from the whole course.

Formative Assessment

There will be a range of computer-marked questions which will be set throughout the course using different response options e.g. multiple choice questions (MCQs), true/false, matching, fill in blanks, etc.

Feedback

Feedback on the practical exercise and marked case study will be provided to all students. Limited feedback on the timed short anwer exam will be provided.

Course Learning Outcomes