Foundations of Public Health
CPH 500
3
This is an introductory survey course, which will ensure that all public health students, within their first full year of study, are exposed to the fundamental concepts and theories that provide the basis for the body of knowledge in the field of public health. This course will prepare students to work in public health with a sound theoretical, conceptual, and historical basis for their work.
Health Behavior
CPH 501
3
The purpose of this course is to study the theoretical foundations of health behavior. Students will develop an understanding of the determinants of health behavior, the models and theories that provide a framework for predicting health behavior, and the strategies employed to bring about behavioral changes for health and disease prevention in individuals and groups.
Health Services Administration
CPH 502
3
This is a survey course designed to be an introduction to the management of health services organizations and systems in the United States. Specifically, this course will introduce students to the types of health services organizations and health systems in the United States, the context surrounding the administration of these organizations and delivery of health care services, and the skills needed to manage a health services organization within this setting.
Public Health Environment and Society
CPH 503
3
The purpose of this course is to introduce the students to environmental factors, including biological, physical, and chemical factors, which affect the health of a community. The main focus of the course will be the effects of exposures that have been associated with human health and environmental problems in the Midwest, specifically water and air pollutants related to animal feeding operations, arsenic in ground water, pesticides, herbicides, lead, and radiation. The effects of global warming, ergonomic problems in the meat packing industry, and occupational and environmental problems in health care will also be discussed.
Epidemiology in Public Health
CPH 504
3
The objective of the course is to understand the application of survey and research methodology in epidemiology, especially in the community setting. Theoretical aspects will be taught as an integral part of understanding the techniques of study design and community survey. Concepts to be covered include measure of disease occurrence, measures of disease risk, study design, assessment of alternative explanations for data-based findings, and methods of testing or limiting alternatives. Students will be expected to address an epidemiological question of interest to them, first developing the hypothesis and conducting a literature search, then developing a study design and writing, in several stages, a brief proposal for the study.
Applied Research in Public Health
CPH 505
3
This course will assist students to develop the basic skills to conduct applied research to address contemporary problems in public health. The course will emphasize proposal writing, data collection, research design, statistical analysis, computer application, and writing of research reports. Unique problems associated with data collection in public health settings such as public health departments, neighborhood health centers, and community-based organizations will be addressed. Both quantitative and qualitative research designs will be explored. Considerable emphasis is placed on evaluation of public health research published in scholarly publications. A research proposal/capstone service- learning proposal is written as one of the course requirements.
Biostatistical Methods I (Calculus-based)
CPH 516
3
This course is designed to prepare the graduate student to understand and apply biostatistical methods needed in the design and analysis of biomedical and public health investigations. The major topics to be covered include types of data, descriptive statistics and plots, theoretical distributions, probability, estimation, hypothesis testing, nonparametric methods, and one-way analysis of variance. A brief introduction to correlation and univariate linear regression will also be given. Interpretation of subsequent analysis results will be stressed. Concepts will be explored using the biomedical and public health literature, class exercises, exams, and a data analysis project. Statistical analysis software, SAS (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA.), will be used to implement analysis methods. The course is intended for graduate students and health professionals who will be actively involved in the design, analysis, and interpretation of biomedical research or public health studies.
Prerequisites: instructor permission and calculus (covering differential and integral calculus) within the past 5 years resulting in a grade of B or better.
Biostatistic Methods II
CPH 652
3
This course is designed to prepare the graduate student to analyze continuous data and interpret results using methods of linear regression and analysis of variance (ANOVA). The major topics to be covered include simple and multiple linear regression model specification and assumptions, specification of covariates, confounding and interactive factors, model building, transformations, ANOVA model specification and assumptions, analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), multiple comparisons and methods of adjustment, fixed and random effect specification, nested and repeated measures designs and models, and diagnostic methods to assess model assumptions. Interpretation of subsequent analysis results will be stressed. Concepts will be explored through critical review of the biomedical and public health literature, class exercises, an exam, and a data analysis project. Statistical analysis software, SAS (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA.), will be used to implement analysis methods. The course is intended for graduate students and health professionals who will be actively involved in the analysis and interpretation of biomedical research or public health studies.
Prerequisites: instructor permission, prior linear algebra course (covering matrix notation and matrix algebra, equivalent to UNO MATH 2050 or UNL MATH 314), calculus, and Biostatistical Methods I, BIOS 816/CPH 516, or an equivalent introductory statistics course.
Categorical Data Analysis
CPH 653
3
This course surveys the theory and methods for the analysis of categorical response and count data. The major topics to be covered include proportions and odds ratios, multi-way contingency tables, generalized linear models, logistic regression for binary response, models for multiple response categories, loglinear models, and simple mixture models for categorical data. Interpretation of subsequent analysis results will be stressed. Concepts will be explored through critical review of the biomedical and public health literature, class exercises, an exam, and a data analysis project. Computations will be illustrated using SAS statistical software (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA.). The course is intended for graduate students and health professionals who will be actively involved in the analysis and interpretation of biomedical research or public health studies.
Prerequisites: instructor permission, Biostatistical Methods I, BIOS 816/CPH 516, or an equivalent introductory statistics course, and Biostatistical Methods II, BIOS 818/CPH 652, or an equivalent advanced statistics course.
Survival Data Analysis
CPH 654
3
The course teaches the basic methods of statistical survival analysis used in clinical and public health research. The major topics to be covered include the Kaplan-Meier product-limit estimation, log-rank and related tests, and the Cox proportional hazards regression model. Interpretation of subsequent analysis results will be stressed. Concepts will be explored through critical review of the biomedical and public health literature, class exercises, two exams, and a data analysis project. Computations will be illustrated using SAS statistical software (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA.). The course is intended for graduate students and health professionals who will be actively involved in the analysis and interpretation of biomedical research or public health studies generating time-to-event data.
Prerequisites: Calculus (covering differential and integral calculus), instructor permission, Biostatistical Methods I, BIOS 816/CPH 516, or an equivalent, calculus-based, introductory statistics course, and Biostatistical Methods II, BIOS 818/CPH 652, or an equivalent, calculus-based, advanced statistics course.
Correlated Data Analysis
CPH 655
3
This course surveys the theory and methods for the analysis of correlated, continuous, binary, and count data. The major topics to be covered include linear models for longitudinal continuous data, generalized estimating equations, generalized linear mixed models, impact of missing data, and design of longitudinal and clustered studies. Interpretation of subsequent analysis results will be stressed. Concepts will be explored through critical review of the biomedical and public health literature, class exercises, two exams, and a data analysis project. Computations will be illustrated using SAS statistical software (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA.). The course is intended for graduate students and health professionals who will be actively involved in the analysis and interpretation of biomedical research or public health studies.
Prerequisites: Instructor permission and Biostatistics BIOS 823/CPH 653.