PHT 330 - Spatial Epidemiology, 3 credit hours

Prerequisite(s): MTH 108 and PHT 285
Knowledge of the spatial distribution of disease events (exposures and outcomes), and factors that determine where disease occurs, is a foundation of epidemiology and public health. Although disease maps have a long history of use in public health, it is only recently that methods for analysis of spatial disease data have become widely available. This course will provide students with a framework for analyzing spatial disease data, and will illustrate the importance of such techniques in public health, geography and epidemiology. With this knowledge, students should be able to design, analyze and report their own studies. The course will focus on human and animal health-related examples. The course will focus primarily on the spatial distribution of infectious diseases, but the principles discussed apply equally well to noninfectious diseases. This course also has a lab component (8-10 labs) to help students gain hands on experience of applying these models with GIS tools. So students should be prepared to be fully engaged.