Disease Screening in Public Health from Coursera

What's inside

Syllabus

Introduction to Key Concepts in Screening

This module will provide a brief welcome by Dr. Fred Paccaud and Dr. Antoine Flahault. An overview of screening and an introduction on how the course is organized and evaluated will be provided by Dr. Gillian Bartlett-Esquilant. Dr. Idris Guessous, a Senior Lecturer in the Population Epidemiology Unit in the Department of Community Medicine, Primary Care and Emergency Medicine (Geneva), and in the Department of Ambulatory Care and Community Medicine (PMU Lausanne) & Division of Chronic Diseases at the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (Lausanne) will provide lectures on definitions of screening. Natural history of diseases and the characteristics of subclinical conditions allowing early diagnosis will be presented. A quiz on the key concepts for screening will complete this module.

Screening Metrics

The second module, provided by Dr. Idris Guessous, will address the metrics of screening with concepts related to robustness, validity and impact. A quiz on screening metrics will complete this module.

Screening in Pregnancy and Newborns

This module on screening in the prenatal (pregnancy) and perinatal (newborn) stage of life is given by Professor Murielle Bochud, MD, PhD, head of the Institute of social and preventive medicine in Lausanne, Switzerland. A quiz will complete this module.

Screening for Cardiometabolic Conditions

Senior lecturer Arnaud Chiolero, MD, PhD, from the Division of Chronic Diseases at the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine in Lausanne will be presenting three case studies related to the increasingly prevalent condition of cardiometabolic disease. Three different diseases will be explored in terms of burden of disease, benefits and harms, evidence and issues followed by recommendations about whether screening should be implemented. A quiz will complete this module.

Cancer Screening

Cancer is a classical field for screening because of both the improvement of the prognosis for most cancers and the usually long incubation period. This part of the MOOC will present current data, evidence and policies regarding the most important cancer sites that include colorectum, prostate, lung, cervix, breast and skin. This module is given by several experts including Elisabetta Rapiti from the Geneva Cancer Registry at the Institute of Global Health in Geneva; Professor Antoine Flahault, who is the Head of the Institute of Global Health in Geneva; and Jean-Luc Buillard who is a Senior Lecturer in the Division of Chronic Diseases at the Institute for Social and Preventive Medicine in Lausanne. A quiz will complete this module.

Public Mental Health and Screening in Ageing

This module explores the topics of public mental health and screening in the ageing population for neuropsychiatric conditions and physical impairments such as hearing loss. This module is given by several experts including Emiliano Albanese, assistant professor in public mental health in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Geneva and the Director of the WHO Collaborating Center for Research and Training in mental health at the University of Geneva; Professor Christophe Bula who is the head of the geriatric and geriatric rehabilitation service at the Vaudois University Hospital Centre; Professor Armin von Gunten who is the head of the university service for geriatric psychiatry at the Vaudois University Hospital Service. A quiz will complete this module.

Screening in Low and Middle-Income Countries and Migrants

The globalization of non-communicable diseases is a major challenge in low and middle income countries (LMIC). At the same time, migration is occurring between these countries and high income countries. Screening for cardiovascular diseases and for cancer in low and middle income countries will be presented and discussed. In addition, the special consideration of screening of migrants from these countries will be addressed. This module is given by: Professor Pascal Bovet from the Division of Chronic Diseases at the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine in Lausanne; Dr. Catherine Sauvaget from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in Lyon, France; and Professor Patrick Bodenmann from the Polimedical University Clinic and head of the Centre for Vulnerable Populations. A quiz will complete this module.

Evaluation, Planning, Implementation and the Future of Screening Programs

In this final module, important aspects of for the evaluation, planning and decision making about the implementation or stopping of screening programs will be presented. This material is given by Senior lecturer Jean-Luc Bulliard who is an epidemiologist in the Division of Chronic Diseases at the Institute for Social and Preventive Medicine in Lausanne. The conclusion of the module will be a series of interviews with experts on the future of disease screening in public health conducted by Dr. Gillian Bartlett-Esquilant, a visiting professor at the Institute for Social and Preventive Medicine at Lausanne. A quiz will close this module.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Provides a solid understanding of the principles and practice of screening in public health

Taught by renowned experts in the field of public health and screening

Covers a wide range of topics relevant to public health screening, including cancer screening, cardiometabolic screening, and mental health screening

Provides practical guidance on the evaluation, planning, and implementation of screening programs

Suitable for both healthcare professionals and public health practitioners

Reviews summary

Highly rated public health screening course

Learners say this course on disease screening in public health is engaging, rigorous, and comprehensive. Students largely agree that the course is well explained, with the lectures being especially highly rated for their clarity and depth of coverage. Assignments and quizzes, however, have been described as difficult and confusing by some. Overall, students largely agree that this course is an excellent resource on disease screening and is well worth taking.

Students applaud the quality of the lectures.

"What is most outstanding are the teachers giving the lectures."

"The topics are comprehensive and useful."

"The speakers are credible and are able to show their expertise."

Some students have found that the lecturers' accents have made understanding the material difficult.

"The heavily accented english is a bit hard to follow, and the tests cover material not emphasized in the lectures, and sometimes not included at all."

"I had a difficult time understanding the English that was spoken."

Many students have mentioned that the quizzes are difficult.

"The tests cover material not emphasized in the lectures, and sometimes not included at all."

"I felt that after taking the same exam five times and missed the same two or three questions, that the test questions were possibly miss-keyed."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Disease Screening in Public Health with these activities:

Review Statistics and Epidemiology Basics

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Bolster your understanding of foundational statistical and epidemiological concepts to better prepare for this course

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Review key statistical concepts such as mean, median, mode, and standard deviation
Refresh your knowledge of epidemiological concepts such as incidence, prevalence, and odds ratios

Design a hypothetical screening program

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Helps students apply the principles of screening to a hypothetical scenario, fostering critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Browse courses on Cancer Screening

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Identify a target population and health condition
Develop screening criteria and methodology
Estimate the program's benefits and harms
Design a plan for implementation and evaluation

Develop a policy brief on screening recommendations

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Reinforces knowledge of screening strategies and public health policy by challenging students to develop a policy brief that advocates for evidence-based screening recommendations.

Browse courses on Public Health Policy

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Research and synthesize evidence on screening recommendations
Identify policy gaps and develop recommendations
Draft a policy brief outlining the recommendations
Disseminate the policy brief to policymakers and stakeholders

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Career center

Learners who complete Disease Screening in Public Health will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Epidemiologist

Epidemiologists investigate the causes and distribution of diseases in populations, including through screening and surveillance programs. This course can help Epidemiologists understand the principles of disease screening and how to evaluate the effectiveness of screening programs.

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Public Health Nurse

Public Health Nurses work with communities to improve health outcomes, including through disease screening and prevention programs. This course can help Public Health Nurses understand the scientific principles of screening, including the benefits and limitations of different screening methods.

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Clinical Laboratory Scientist

Clinical Laboratory Scientists perform laboratory tests to diagnose and monitor diseases, including screening tests. This course can help Clinical Laboratory Scientists understand the scientific principles of disease screening and how to perform and interpret screening tests.

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Healthcare Administrator

Healthcare Administrators plan, direct, and coordinate healthcare services, including disease screening and prevention programs. This course can help Healthcare Administrators understand the scientific principles of screening and how to manage and evaluate screening programs.

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Health Educator

Health Educators develop and implement educational programs to improve health behaviors, including disease screening and prevention. This course can help Health Educators understand the scientific basis for disease screening and how to communicate it effectively to the public.

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Health Informatics Specialist

Health Informatics Specialists use data and technology to improve healthcare delivery, including disease screening and prevention programs. This course can help Health Informatics Specialists understand the data and methods used in disease screening and how to develop and implement effective screening programs.

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Case Manager

Case Managers coordinate care for patients with chronic diseases, including through disease screening and prevention programs. This course can help Case Managers understand the scientific principles of screening and how to manage and evaluate screening programs.

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Data Analyst

Data Analysts collect, clean, and analyze data to identify patterns and trends, including data related to disease screening and prevention. This course can help Data Analysts understand the data and methods used in disease screening and how to develop and implement effective screening programs.

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Physician Assistant

Physician Assistants provide healthcare services under the supervision of a physician, including screening and prevention services. This course can help Physician Assistants understand the scientific principles of disease screening and how to perform and interpret screening tests.

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Health Policy Analyst

Health Policy Analysts are responsible for analyzing healthcare data and policy, which may include data related to disease screening and prevention. This course may be useful for understanding the data and methods used, as well as the ethical and policy considerations related to disease screening.

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Social Worker

Social Workers provide support to individuals and families facing challenges, including health issues. This course can help Social Workers understand the scientific principles of disease screening and how to provide support to patients and families.

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Nutritionist

Nutritionists provide nutrition counseling and education to individuals and groups, including on topics related to disease screening and prevention. This course can help Nutritionists understand the scientific principles of screening and how to communicate it effectively to the public.

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Medical Writer

Medical Writers develop educational and marketing materials for healthcare professionals and patients, including materials related to disease screening and prevention. This course can help Medical Writers understand the scientific basis for disease screening and how to communicate it effectively.

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Actuary

Actuaries use mathematical and statistical methods to assess risk, including health risks. This course may be useful for understanding the data and methods used in disease screening and how to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of screening programs.

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Clinical Research Coordinator

Clinical Research Coordinators typically work for research organizations conducting disease-related studies. This course may be useful for understanding the rationale for and design of clinical trials, including patient screening and data analysis.

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