HI 5381 Methods in Public Health Informatics

This course introduces practical methods and techniques used in Public Health Informatics (PHI).  The course will focus on methods for evaluation of the effectiveness and efficiency of public health protection and delivery.  The course modules are organized into three domain knowledge of PHI methods: 1) Legal and Policy Framework of Public Health Informatics, 2) GIS and Spatial Analysis, and 3) Evaluation and Knowledge Management of Public Health Informatics.  The course is designed to familiarize students with methods for addressing the core concepts & issues confronting public health practitioners and researchers in planning, implementation and evaluation of information systems.

Course Objectives

–    Privacy, Confidentiality and Security of Public Health Information.
–    GIS key components and mapping principles.
–    GIS applications in health care and public health, including the use of GIS in environmental health, communicable disease control, and community health assessment.
–    Foundation knowledge and hands-on exercises of using spatial and temporal analysis in public health data analysis and presentations.
–    Informatics approaches to conducting health surveillance using technologies.
–    Using Information Technology in Community Health Assessment and Planning.
–    Public Health data access, evaluation, and interpretation.
–    Discuss the influence of social, organizational and individual factors on the use of information technology by end users.

Prerequisites

Consent of the Instructor