Online Program

LI Course
Oral

Partnership: The content directly relates to the Epidemiology Section.

Statement of Purpose and Institute Overview: The purpose of this course is to introduce public health practitioners to both the theory and practical aspects of the mathematical modeling of infectious diseases. Mathematical models have a rich history of providing otherwise inaccessible insights into the process of how diseases spread. The use and interpretation of these models is, however, an uncommon element of public health training and can be prohibitively daunting for self-study. This Learning Institute seeks to provide an approachable introduction to disease modeling, requiring neither disease-specific expertise nor mathematical training beyond basic algebra. Using a common cultural reference point, for which even those not already familiar can become subject matter experts in a short time – the “Zombie Apocalypse” and similar entertainment media rooted concepts – participants will be exposed to the most common types of models used to study infectious diseases. The assumptions and appropriate uses of these models will be discussed and grounded in a unified framework, as will extensions of these models to account for more complex research questions of etiology, vaccination, outbreak dynamics, etc. Presentations will focus on study design and interpretation challenges most important to public health researchers, and participants will be encouraged to ask questions throughout the presentations and pose their own challenges and solutions through open discussion. Finally, the capstone of the workshop will leverage several tools developed by the presenters to allow them to explore implementing models to explore their own research questions in a guided environment.

Session Objectives: Describe the role mathematical models play in public health research Identify the assumptions that go into making mathematical models Design potential models to explore research questions of interest to the participant

CE Credits: Medical (CME), Health Education (CHES), Nursing (CNE), Public Health (CPH) , Masters Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES)