Semester -I

*** optional

Explanatory note on Semester I Courses :

Semester I has 15 credits of classroom based teaching and 10 credits of practical work (Field component : 7 credits, Computer lab. : 3 credits ).

There are five main courses :

• MPH 1.0 Introduction to public health concepts and issues :
  This course has 2 classroom based credits (MPH 1.01 Introduction to public health concepts and issues), and is supported with 7 credits of field based learning. The field based courses aim at introducing students to the organizational structure and the functions of the public health system (MPH 1.02). Course MPH 1.03 is aimed at providing students with an understanding of community demographics, socio-economic status, types and distribution of diseases and disorders in a community, and a community perspective of the factors determining utilization of health services.
• MPH 1.1 Human Biology
  is aimed at providing knowledge on the functioning of the human body, and the human life cycle. This course is optional for students from a clinical background.
• MPH 1.2 Demography
  is an introductory course to population sciences.
• MPH 1.3 and MPH 1.4 Biostatistics and Epidemiology
  courses will use the field data (MPH 1.02 and MPH 1.03) to provide hands on experience on various methods for analysis, presentation and interpretation of health data. Biostatistics course includes 3 credits of computer–based work which will provide students the opportunity to use various epidemiological software.
• Internship rotationship :
  For Course MPH 1.02, 2 days assignment at PHC/urban health facility. Course MPH 1.03, 7 days urban or rural internship preferable with NGO. Tentative dates for rural internship : second week of September.

MPH 1.0 Introduction to Public Health Concepts and issues

MPH 1.01 Public Health Concepts and Issues

• Credits : 2
   
• Course Objective

• To introduce students to the concept of public health
• To give an overview of the determinants and measures of health
• Status of health and disease in the world

• Course

• Definition and determinants of health
• Disease, diseases of public health importance
• Disease control and health promotion
• Levels of prevention
• Health indicators
• Health in developed and developing countries
• Contemporary issues in public health
• Global Health
• Health and disease in India

MPH 1.02 Health care organizations :Public health systems and its boundaries

• Credits : 2
   
• Course Objective
  
  To provide students with an understanding about the systems of health care available in India and their organization
  Functional organization of the public health system from district to village level
   
• Course:

• Introduction to the roles of the public, private and NGO sectors in health and the plural systems of medicine in India
• Organization of public health services, functions in terms of medical and health care

MPH 1.03 Utilization of health care

• Credits : 5
   
• Course objective:
  To provide students an understanding about the factors relating to utilization of health care services and systems
   
• Course :

• Study, analysis and submission of report on factors determining utilization /barriers to utilization of rural or urban public health services, or private health services or traditional systems of medicine.

• Data collection so as to provide an insight into community demographics, socio-ecocnomic status, types and distribution of diseases and disorders in a community

MPH 1.1 Human Biology

• Credits : 3 credits
   

• Course Objective:
  To provide an understanding about the structure and function of the human body
   

• Course :

• Human life cycle : growth and development, sexuality and conception

• Structure and function of organs and systems

MPH 1.2 Demography

• Credits : 2 credits
   

• Course Objective
  To familiarize students on the fundamental of population sciences and its link with issues like family planning, poverty etc.
   

• Course

• Methods of demographic data collection

• Sources of data

• Population composition

• Fertility

• Mortality

• Migration

• Population growth, problems, projections

• Life table

• Population policy

MPH 1.3 Biostatistics

MPH 1.31 Principles of Biostatistics

• Credits: 2
   

• Course Objective:
  To introduce students to the use of bio-statistics in health sciences
   

• Course :

• Levels of measurement

• Measures of central tendency, Measures of variability

• Probability and Normal Distribution

• Sampling methods

• Confidence Intervals for mean (s) & proportions (s)

• Test of Significance

• Nonparametric tests

• Association and Causation

• Analysis of Variance

MPH 1.32 Statistical Analysis

• Credits 3
   

• Course objectives :

• To make students aware of pitfalls in statistical analysis

• To train students in presentation and interpretation of data

• To impart examples of utilization of data in decision making

• Training in usage of appropriated statistical software and in handling of large datasets

• Course :

• Data entry, analysis, presentation

• Training in statistical software like SPSS, Epi-Info, MS-Office etc.

MPH 1.4 Epidemiology

MPH 1.41 Fundamentals of epidemiology

• Credits 3
   

• Course Objectives
  To familiarize students on concepts and use of epidemiology, methods to measure and describe health of populations and risk measurement

• Course :

• Historical aspects , definition, aim and uses

• Descriptive epidemiology

• Determinants of disease, Natural history of disease

• Epidemiological principles in prevention and control disease

• Risk measurement, Measurement of morbidity and mortality : Incidence, Prevalence, Age-adjustment and survival analysis, use of morbidity and mortality indices in epidemiological studied.

MPH 1.42 Epidemiologic Methods

• Credits 3
   

• Course Objectives:
  To equip students with the tools and strategies of epidemiological investigation.
   

• Course
  
  1. Epidemiological study designs
  
  2. Bias, confounding and interaction
  
  3. Causal association
  
  4. Diagnostic and screening tests
  
  5. Surveillance of diseases
  
  6. Outbreak investigation