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Public Health Research and Evidence Evaluation Study Guide

This guide explores the essential components of public health indicator frameworks, focusing on three key layers: Process and Output Indicators (measuring activity), Population Outcome Indicators (measuring impact), and Equity Indicators (measuring fairness). It provides definitions, examples, and discusses the importance of each layer in understanding and improving public health. The content also touches upon challenges in data collection and the nuances of health equity, distinguishing it from

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Course Overview and Instructional Objectives

Introduction to Public Health Systems

The nature, principles and global development of public health, the development of the Canadian health system, and the role of the environmental health practitioner are examined.

  • nature and principles of public health
  • global development of public health
  • Canadian health system organization
  • financing and delivery of public health services
  • environmental health practitioner role
  • policy development and analysis
  • management practices in public health

Evaluating Health Indicators and Research Paradigms

Evidence, Uncertainty, and Research Paradigms

This lecture explores evidence and uncertainty in public health, the differences between equality and equity, association versus causation, and various research paradigms.

  • Health indicators
  • Health status
  • Evidence and uncertainty
  • Equality and equity
  • Association and causation
  • Research paradigms
  • Realist approach
  • Critical researcher

Public Health and the Canadian Health System

Canadian Public Health Systems and Responsibilities

Understanding government responsibilities and the interlocking set of activities to promote, restore or maintain health within the Canadian health system.

  • Government responsibilities
  • Federal, provincial, and municipal health roles
  • Public health and health protection
  • Health system definitions
  • Environmental public health
  • Health care funding, administration, and delivery
  • Canadian Health Transfer Payments

Research Paradigms, Worldviews, and Evidence

Research Paradigms and Investigating Population Health

Investigating how research paradigms, worldviews, and assumptions influence how we understand health, interpret evidence, and perceive risk.

  • Research paradigms
  • Realism
  • Interpretive / Relativism
  • Critical Research
  • Indigenous Research
  • Worldview
  • Assumptions
  • Factfulness
  • Perceived risk vs actual risk
  • Epidemiology

Measuring Population Health and Indicators

Health Indicators and Health Status

An examination of health indicators, population context, and how data describes health status, life expectancy, and health inequalities in Canada.

  • Health indicators
  • Population context
  • Age structure
  • Life expectancy
  • Health inequalities
  • Cancer incidence
  • Perceived health
  • Disease surveillance
  • Socioeconomic characteristics
  • Crude and age standardized rates
  • Mortality rates
  • Demographics

Understanding Process, Population Outcome, and Equity Indicators

Public Health Indicator Categories and Frameworks

Understanding indicators through process, output, population outcome, and equity lenses within public health frameworks.

  • Process indicators
  • Output indicators
  • Population outcome indicators
  • Equity indicators
  • Deprivation index
  • Relative Index of Inequality
  • Food safety indicators
  • Safe water indicators
  • Ontario Public Health Standards
  • Public Health Indicator Framework

Alberta Health Care System Structure and Case Study

Alberta Healthcare System Structure and Case Study

An overview of Alberta's provincial health ministries, agencies, and programs alongside a case study of the 2023 Calgary daycare E. coli outbreak.

  • Ministry of Primary and Preventative Health Services
  • Ministry of Hospital and Surgical Health Services
  • Ministry of Assisted Living and Social Services
  • Ministry of Mental Health and Addiction
  • Acute Care Alberta
  • Alberta Health Services (AHS)
  • Cancer Care Alberta
  • Emergency Health Services Alberta
  • Public health and environmental public health
  • E. coli outbreak investigation
  • Epidemiology and inspection resources

Foundations of Public and Population Health

Introduction to Public Health and Population Health

An examination of public health, population health, and health care through various views of health, social determinants, and health system performance measurement.

  • Public health
  • Population health
  • Health care
  • Determinants of health
  • Biomedical view of health
  • Behavioural view of health
  • Socioenvironmental view of health
  • Social determinants of health
  • Health system performance measurement
  • Health system inputs
  • Health system outputs
  • Health system outcomes
  • Epidemiology
  • Biostatistics

Investigating Population Health and Evidence

Public Health Surveillance and Data Collection

Investigating population health issues requires considering perspective, population, evidence, context, uncertainty, and action through public health surveillance and mixed methods.

  • Mixed methods
  • Quantitative and qualitative approaches
  • Public health surveillance
  • Population health information sources
  • Administrative health data
  • Data neutrality
  • Environmental monitoring data
  • Health indicators

Investigating Population Health Indicators

Measuring Population Health and Health Status

Population health measures evaluate disease, mortality, survival, function, disability, perceived health, and quality of life using various indicators and data sources.

  • Population health indicators
  • Mortality rates
  • Crude mortality rate
  • Age-specific mortality rate
  • Age-standardised mortality rate
  • Cause-specific mortality rate
  • Infant mortality rate
  • Life expectancy
  • Function and disability
  • Self-rated health
  • Quality of life
  • Potential years of life lost (PYLL)
  • Disability-adjusted life years
  • Population health data sources

Analyzing Housing and Long-term Care Indicators

Public Health Indicators and Case Studies

Analysis of process, population outcome, and equity indicators through case studies involving substandard rental housing, long-term care, and homelessness.

  • Process indicators
  • Population outcome indicators
  • Equity indicators
  • Substandard rental housing
  • Mould and respiratory symptoms
  • Long-term care COVID infections
  • For-profit versus non-profit care facilities
  • Housing and homelessness
  • Housing First programs
  • Mortality rates
  • Data limitations
  • Indigenous data governance
  • OCAP principles

Global Healthcare Models and Canadian Systems

National Health Insurance, and Out-of-Pocket Models

This lecture examines different models of health system organization including National Health Insurance, and Out-of-Pocket models.

  • National Health Insurance
  • Out-of-Pocket Model
  • Health system organization
  • Government owned health care services
  • Sickness funds
  • Private delivery models
  • Market-driven health care

Worldviews and Perspectives on Health

Investigating Population Health Perspectives and Worldviews

A worldview is the lens through which we understand and interpret how different perspectives on health influence causes, evidence, and interventions.

  • Worldview
  • Biomedical perspective
  • Behavioural perspective
  • Socioenvironmental perspective
  • Social epidemiology
  • Social determinants of health
  • Population health perspective
  • Social distribution of health

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