Measuring Population Health

GHP 506 Subject & Catalog Number

Description

This course will introduce students to the definition and measurement of population health. The primary objective is to provide an overview of the conceptual, methodological and empirical basis for quantifying levels of health in individuals and populations, including the construction of a range of different summary measures that combine information on mortality and non-fatal health outcomes. The course aims to give students an understanding of the technical basis for measurement in international work on population health; and to give students an appreciation of the uses and limitations of these methods in policy-making and priority-setting, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Practical training will be given through homework exercises and a final exam. Students are expected to have a working knowledge of Excel or an equivalent spreadsheet package. Other packages such as Stata will be introduced during the course for those with no previous experience. Required for MS students in the department of Global Health and Population. Useful for MPH and doctoral students interested in the construction, interpretation and application of health indicators.