Submit assignment Marks and feedback
Submission Deadline Marks and Feedback
Before 10am on:
29/05/2020 20 working days after deadline (L4, 5 and 7)
15 working days after deadline (L6)
10 working days after deadline (block delivery)
Unit title & code Public Health Intelligence PUB015-6
Assignment number and title Assignment 2: Epidemiological report
Assignment type Report
Weighting of assignment 60%
Size or length of assessment 2500 words
Unit learning outcomes 1. Demonstrate the following knowledge and understanding:
Demonstrate a critical understanding of the principles, analytical techniques, tool kits and methods in health intelligence, and their application to improving public health practice.
2. Demonstrate the following skills and abilities:
Critically assess and synthesise the role of public health intelligence in terms of translating evidence into public health policy through synthesising, appraising, interpreting and communicating intelligence that measures the health status, risks, needs and health outcomes of defined populations.
Completing Your Assignment
What am I required to do in this assignment?
For writing a report on the epidemiology of a particular cause of mortality or morbidity, you need to identify a suitable topic of a particular cause of mortality or morbidity of the disease or condition (e.g. malaria, tuberculosis). Most importantly, you should identify and use at least one well-known data source such as Demographic Health Survey (DHS) or WHO data source related to mortality or morbidity statistics for your data. You will perform appropriate analysis of your chosen secondary data set to identify risk factors for the particular cause of mortality or morbidity that is the focus of your assignment. Thirdly, you are also expected to refer to other relevant literature, as appropriate, to complement the data you are using – so doing a quick database search might help to locate some relevant resources. Fourthly, you need to provide a critical discussion of the strengths and limitations of the SECONDARY data sources you have used e.g. how the data was collected, whom by, sampling frame, sample size, inclusion/exclusion criteria, population size, missing data, data manipulation, bias, generalisability. Finally, propose evidence-based recommendations to strengthen and/or improve the current prevention and control strategies to reduce its impact on public health in the future.
What do I need to do to pass? (Threshold Expectations from UIF)
1. Select a topic related to the epidemiology of a particular cause of mortality or morbidity of the disease or condition (e.g. malaria, tuberculosis).
2. Identify a well-known secondary dataset/data sources such as Demographic Health Survey (DHS) or WHO dataset(s) that relates to your chosen topic.
3. Demonstrate the understanding of the strengths, limitations and weaknesses of the SECONDARY dataset/data sources you have used, e.g., how the data was collected, by whom, sampling frame, sample size, inclusion / exclusion criteria, population size, missing data, data manipulation, bias, and generalisability, including problems and challenges in healthcare.
4. Perform an appropriate analysis of the chosen dataset to identify risk factors for the cause of mortality or morbidity of the disease or condition
How do I produce high quality work that merits a good grade?
How does this assignment relate to what we are doing in scheduled sessions?
Each week the public health intelligence lecture(s) will emphasise the importance of data/data sources. In this assignment, you will use your knowledge and understanding of the strengths, limitations and weaknesses of the SECONDARY dataset/data sources eg how the data was collected, by whom, sampling frame, sample size, inclusion / exclusion criteria, population size, missing data, data manipulation, bias, and generalizability, which would ultimately help to assess the effectiveness and quality of data as well as propose evidence-informed recommendations in public health practice. The sessions will include training on the analysis of secondary data sets using samples provided.
How will my assignment be marked?
Your assignment will be marked according to the threshold expectations and the criteria on the following page.
You can use them to evaluate your own work and consider your grade before you submit.
Marks and Feedback
Pass – 40-49% Pass – 50-59% Commendation – 6069% Distinction– 70%+
1 Written expression and structure Overall presentation of the epidemiological report is satisfactory but lacks informative figures and/or tables.
Most points are explained coherently, but the structure and organization of the report are very weak.
Satisfactory use of key terminology, but explanations are vague and over-simplistic.
The assessment question is addressed superficially; report includes interesting but irrelevant datasets used throughout.
Many spelling and grammatical errors throughout the report. Good, well presented epidemiological report but figures and/or tables lack informative titles or are poorly presented.
Report has a good, appropriate secondary dataset/data sources used, well-organized structure and points are explained coherently
Good, correct use of key terminology, but explanations are relatively basic.
Attempts to address the assessment question well, but report includes some irrelevant information.
Some spelling and grammatical errors. Presentation of the epidemiological report, including figures and tables is very good.
Report has a clear structure and information is well organized and relevant secondary dataset/data sources used. Very good, detailed and coherent discussion.
Demonstrates very good understanding and use key terminology.
Focuses on addressing assessment question and avoids the inclusion of irrelevant secondary dataset/data sources.
Minimal spelling and grammatical errors Excellent or outstanding presentation of publication standard.
Written expression is concise, accurate and articulate.
Excellent, coherent in-depth discussion.
Report appropriately utilized SECONDARY dataset/data sources and tightly focuses on and successfully addresses the assessment question.
Minor spelling and grammatical errors
2 Use of literature and referencing Has identified essential literature but a minimal range of literature is cited.
References and citations are included but UoB Harvard style is not used consistently. Good range of evidence cited including current peerreviewed primary literature.
Most references and citations are formatted in the UoB Harvard style, but some inaccuracies remain. Very good range of evidence cited including current peer-reviewed primary literature.
References and citations are consistently formatted, with most in the UoB Harvard style. An excellent, comprehensive range of current primary literature is used effectively to support discussion.
References and citations are consistently formatted in the UoB Harvard style.
3 Application of knowledge and understanding Report identifies the key topic related to the epidemiology of a particular cause of mortality or morbidity of the disease or condition using suitable SECONDARY dataset/data sources (e.g. malaria, tuberculosis) and highlights limited strategies implemented to improve quality of data within a specified area. Report identifies the key topic related to the epidemiology of a particular cause of mortality or morbidity of the disease or condition using suitable SECONDARY dataset/data sources (e.g. malaria, tuberculosis), and includes good detailed description of key strategies implemented to improve quality of data within a specified area. Report highlights the key topic related to the epidemiology of a particular cause of mortality or morbidity of the disease or condition using appropriate suitable SECONDARY dataset/data sources (e.g. malaria, tuberculosis), highlight a broad range of strategies to improve quality of data within a specified area. Report highlights a broad range of strategies and presents an excellent detailed description of the epidemiological report and discuss and analyse a broad range of strategies implemented to improve quality of data within a specified area.
4 Critical evaluation of SECONDARY
dataset/data sources you have used A limited attempt to identify and understand the strengths, limitations and weaknesses of the SECONDARY dataset/data sources you have used Demonstrates a good understanding of strengths and weaknesses of SECONDARY dataset/data sources you have used. Demonstrates a very good understanding of strengths and weaknesses of SECONDARY dataset/data sources you have used. Very good, detailed critical analysis of effectiveness of the interventions based on evidence synthesized from multiple data sources of good quality information. Presents excellent, in-depth and insightful report. Demonstrates excellent understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of SECONDARY dataset/data sources you have used.
5 Evidence-based recommendations to improve public health. Recommendations proposed are sensible but lack clear links with specific findings of the report.
Recommendations are evidence-based but are not novel for the specified area having already been proposed in published datasets/data sources. Recommendations proposed are sensible and could feasibly strengthen strategies identified as being sub-optimal.
Recommendations are described clearly and supported by sound datasets/data sources. Recommendations proposed are wellthought-out and are likely to strengthen strategies identified as being suboptimal within the specified location.
Recommendations are explained in detail and are supported by strong datasets/data sources. Recommendations proposed are insightful and supported by sound datasets/data sources.