39108 - Elements of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology

Learning outcomes

At the end of the module, the student possesses the knowledge and ability to understand: epidemiology and its application in general disease prevention, food and nutrition hygiene, concepts and possible applications of statistics in biomedical and clinical settings, and the planning, organization and management of health services.

Course contents

History and definition of Epidemiology.


Epidemiology and descriptive statistics.


Analytic epidemiology: measures of association, confounding factors and bias, causality criteria.


Statistical significance and clinical significance.


Main epidemiological study designs: experimental studies, cohort studies, case-control studies, cross-sectional studies, ecological studies.


Vaccinations as a practical example of analyzing a public health problem.

Readings/Bibliography

Fantini Dallolio Fabbri Bravi – Igiene e Sanità Pubblica II Ed. Marzo 2012 Vol. Pag. 272 ISBN: 9788874884964, DOI: 10.15651/978-88-748-8496-4, Editrice Esculapio

Rothman Kenneth J. Epidemiologia, 2007, X-214 p., ill., Tradotto da Torre G.; Boccia S.; Mannocci A. Idelson Gnocchi Editore

Guest Charles, Walter Ricciardi, Ichiro Kawachi, Iain Lang. Manuale Oxford di Sanità Pubblica, 3° Edizione. Edizione Italiana a cura di Walter Ricciardi e Leonardo Palombi. Piccin Editore, 2015 ISBN: 978-88-299-2719-7

Teaching methods

Practical exercises and discussions of scientific articles will also be offered during the lectures.Each lecture will consist of a first frontal part and a second practical part with discussion of scientific data/cases/articles or solving exercises.

Assessment methods

Oral exam

Teaching tools

PC and video projector, flip chart, lecture hall with PC for practical exercises.


Lecture materials presented in class will be made available to the student in electronic format via the Internet.

Office hours

See the website of Davide Gori