Key information
Teaching Dates: Monday 10 to Friday 14 December 2012
Code: PUBH8785
Teaching Period: Y11
Value: 6 Points
Fees 2011
- Student: $2178
- Professional development: $2278
(Early bird fee $2178 if paid prior to 2 weeks before unit starts) - Professional development with assessment: $2404
- Please note that these are domestic fees only
- International students: please contact the UWA International Office for correct fees at international@uwa.edu.au
- All fees are GST free
Cancellation policy
- Cancellations from professional development colleagues will receive a refund (minus 5% administrative fee) prior to the start of the unit.
- Cancellations after this date may incur a 50% penalty. All cancellations must be submitted via email
Census date and withdrawal without academic penalty date
- For enrolled students and professional development colleagues doing the unity with assessment:
the Census Date and the date for Withdrawal Without Academic Penalty is midnight on the Tuesday of the teaching week of the unit.
This is an intensive five-day unit on the theory and practice of analysis of large sets of linked administrative health data at an introductory to intermediate level.
Rapid growth in data linkage projects has led to a shortfall in analyst skills.
Some researchers understand epidemiological principles, but are unfamiliar with the specialised computing skills needed to analyse linked data files.
Others have a strong grasp of computing concepts, but lack an adequate theoretical base to design high quality applications to answer research questions. This endeavours to fill a gap in research training opportunities to cater to these two areas of need.
Unit outline
Professor Holman provides a theoretical grounding in the classroom on each topic, followed by a training session on the corresponding computing solutions. Students use fictitious but realistic linked data files in the hands-on exercises. A lecturer will be available in the computing laboratory session each afternoon and conducts an end-of-day tutorial for those who need additional assistance.
In preparation for the teaching week you will be sent pre-reading on 25 November 2011.
Learning objectives
The unit acquaints health researchers, clinical practitioners and managers with the theory and skills needed to analyse linked health data at the introductory to intermediate level. Upon completion the participant will:
- possess an overview of the theory of data linkage methods and features of comprehensive data linkage systems, sufficient to understand the sources and limitations of linked health data sets
- understand the principles of epidemiologic measurement and research methods for the conceptualisation and construction of numerators and denominators used in the analysis of disease trends and health care utilisation and outcomes
- understand sources of error in epidemiologic measurement, the difference between confounding and effect modification, and use of regression models in risk adjustment in health services research
- be able to perform statistical analyses on linked longitudinal health data
- be able to conceptualise and perform the manipulation of large linked data files
- be able to write syntax to prepare linked data files for analysis, derive exposure and outcome variables, relate numerators and denominators and produce results from statistical procedures
Unit prerequisites
Basic familiarity with computing syntax used in programs such as SPSS, SAS or Stata and methods of basic statistical analysis of fixed-format data files.
There are no formal prerequisites in epidemiology for the course. However, it is recommend that participants who have not previously completed an introductory course in epidemiology, familiarise themselves with the basic principles and terms used in that discipline. A working knowledge of statistical concepts, including regression models, used in data analysis in the medical and social sciences is assumed.
Enrolment
UWA Postgraduate students
Enrol through studentConnect for credit towards your degree.
Please note only the early bird fee will be charged.
Students from other institutions
You can apply for cross-institutional enrolment using this downloadable form (PDF:153 kb) from the UWA Student Admin site.
Please note that these are domestic fees only
International students: please contact the UWA International Office for correct fees at international@uwa.edu.au
Professional development colleagues
You may choose to participate with or without assessment. If the assessment is successfully completed, you may have your unit credited towards most School of Population Health courses undertaken within five years.
For participation without assessment, please register and pay by on-line through our shopping cart facility(Credit Card payments only), or email Enquiries-sph@uwa.edu.au if you wish to be invoiced.
For participation with assessment, for unit credit, please complete the application form and email to UWA Extension. The fee will be $2404 for a six point unit.
University information
CRICOS Code: 00126G
