330.649.11
Investigating Behavioral Health Outbreaks and Epidemics

Cancelled

Location
East Baltimore
Term
Summer Institute
Department
Mental Health
Credit(s)
1
Academic Year
2020 - 2021
Instruction Method
TBD
Start Date
Monday, June 8, 2020
End Date
Monday, June 8, 2020
Class Time(s)
Monday, 8:30am - 4:50pm
Auditors Allowed
No
Available to Undergraduate
No
Grading Restriction
Pass/Fail
Course Instructor(s)
Kenneth Feder
Contact Name
Kenneth Feder
Frequency Schedule
One Year Only
Description
How is an epidemic of a behavioral health condition like opioid misuse similar to an infectious disease epidemic? How is it different?
Introduces outbreak investigation, with a focus on outbreaks and epidemics of behavioral health problems such as substance use, mental health, violence, and neurocognitive disorders. Provides hands-on experience through a practice investigation that uses examples and data from a real outbreak of lung injuries linked to use of e-cigarettes.
Learning Objectives
Upon successfully completing this course, students will be able to:
  1. Identify the unique features of behavioral health outbreaks and epidemics
  2. Complete key steps in an outbreak investigation, including: Form a case definition; Classify cases; Create appropriate summary measures; Identify risk factors; Make public health recommendations
  3. Learn to write an abstract in a clear and concise summary
Methods of Assessment
This course is evaluated as follows:
  • 30% Participation
  • 70% Group Project(s)
Instructor Consent
No consent required
Special Comments

Description of group project (70%) The simulated outbreak investigation is conducted as an in-class exercise. Exercises completed by students outside class on an as-needed basis. They will be asked to use those materials to 1) characterize the behavioral health syndrome in the outbreak, 2) describe the outbreak quantitatively, 3) identify risk factors for illness. Students review medical records to determine if patients meet a case definition of a vaping-associated lung injury and should be included as part of an outbreak (30-45 min in class). Students clean, analyze a "line list" of basic data about cases vaping-associated lung injury to create a summary of key information about the outbreak. A case control study is used to determine vaping behaviors associated with developing the disease. Students write up results as an abstract with grading of the project: 10% for getting correct numbers for each of the three sections; 40% for writing an abstract that clearly and concisely.