Intervention science in maternal and child health

This course gives a comprehensive introduction to major methodological and conceptual approaches in the field of intervention science in maternal and child health.

Both established and emerging methods will be discussed and explored through lectures, group work and assignments. The course offers a unique opportunity for senior/postgraduate students to be acquainted with a diverse set of approaches to research design, analysis and interpretation with focus on Intervention science in maternal and child health.

The course lectures and presentations are given in English by national and international scientists. Course lecturers are selected based on their expertise in their fields.

For 2024

This course will present the conceptual foundations of epidemiologic research, and the methodologic approaches that stem from these foundations. Its objective is to unify the approach to epidemiologic research around a coherent set of concepts. Topics include a discussion of component and sufficient causes, causal inference, measurement of disease frequency and exposure effects, the principles of epidemiologic study design, cohort studies, case-control studies, epidemiologic data analysis, precision and validity, assessment and control of confounding, stratified analysis, multivariable analysis, the evaluation of effect measure modification, and the evaluation of dose-response trends. It also covers an introduction to some advanced topics in causal inference that will serve as an onramp into further study, including:

¿ Approaches to deal with missing data

¿ Directed Acyclic Graphs (DAGs)

¿ Target Trial Emulation

¿ Handling of Time-Dependent Variables

¿ Instrumental Variables

¿ Quantitative Bias Analyses

Learning outcomes

A student who has completed the course should have the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge:

• • Provide an overview of the field of study addressed in the course with particular reference to maternal and child health

Skills:

• Explain the central theme and approach as it applies to the field of study addressed in the course and be able to incorporate this into current or future research projects.
• Understand and be able to apply the various steps necessary to implement the methods and approaches addressed in the course into current or planned research.
• Recognize the value of the methods and approaches addressed in the course and be able to apply these to research in intervention science in maternal and child health.

General competence:

• Apply key concepts and perspectives from the course and its field of study independently, in current or future research projects.