Disease Clusters

Disease Clusters

Instructors: Dr. Megan Weil Latshaw, PhD

15,224 already enrolled

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5 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Beginner level

Recommended experience

7 hours to complete

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

5 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Beginner level

Recommended experience

7 hours to complete

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

Explain how disease is studied.
Describe what happens during a disease cluster investigation.
Assess the two main parameters of a disease cluster investigation: time and space.
Explain challenges in studying disease clusters, including why they often yield inconclusive results.

Skills you'll gain

Details to know

Shareable certificate

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Assessments

3 assignments¹

AI Graded see disclaimer

Taught in English

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There are 5 modules in this course

Do a lot of people in your neighborhood all seem to have the same sickness? Are people concerned about high rates of cancer? Your community may want to explore the possibility of a disease cluster, which happens when there is a higher number of cases of disease than expected.

When communities hear about cases of disease in their neighborhood, they are rightfully concerned. However, the results of investigations by the health department often find no evidence of a cluster. This course will help you understand what a disease cluster is and how it is studied. The goal is to empower community (or citizen) scientists, and to help build better relationships between communities and health officials.

Welcome! We're excited to lay out the rationale behind this course and begin to talk about disease and it's study.

What's included

3 videos

Now we dive into the study of disease, looking at how we can break things down by place and over time. . . with a special focus on unusual disease events. The five question quiz asks about what we've covered up to that point.

What's included

4 videos1 assignment

How do people working in health departments handle disease cluster investigations? Who else is involved? Module 3 starts off with some videos and a discussion. We look forward to engaging with you! At the end of the module, a quiz asks about material covered since your last quiz.

What's included

3 videos1 reading1 assignment1 discussion prompt5 plugins

3 videosTotal 38 minutes

Starting the Process18 minutes
Other Considerations11 minutes
Who Does What during a Disease Cluster Investigation?8 minutes

1 readingTotal 10 minutes

Directions for Discussion Forum10 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 5 minutes

25 minutes

1 discussion promptTotal 10 minutes

Module Two Discussion Forum10 minutes

5 pluginsTotal 75 minutes

2.1 What is Cancer Cluster15 minutes
2.2 What is a Cancer Cluster?15 minutes
2.3 Advice for Communities - From Professionals15 minutes
2.4 Advice for Other Communities from the Frederick Community15 minutes
2.5 Cancer Registry15 minutes

As we've mentioned, the tools available to public health often don't lead to the answers for which a community hoped. This module covers some of the reasons for that. Your final quiz asks about material presented in Module 4.

What's included

4 videos1 assignment

Around the world, many communities grapple with disease clusters every day. Hear from an organization in the US working with those communities to help answer their questions. Your final assignment asks to you bring together everything you've learned to develop a plan for how you will (or would) handle a disease cluster investigation. We hope to see lots of innovative ideas!

What's included

2 videos1 reading1 peer review

Instructors

Dr. Megan Weil Latshaw, PhD

Johns Hopkins University

2 Courses94,960 learners

Dr. Ellen Silbergeld

Johns Hopkins University

1 Course15,224 learners

Offered by

Johns Hopkins University

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