The assessment is a 3,000 word structured critical analysis of published research or
study, which will include a discussion of epidemiologic issues. The objective of the
assessment is to enhance your ability to make sound epidemiologic judgements
related to a public health issue and to give you experience of critically appraising an
epidemiologic and/or public health research article.
Three suggestions are provided below if you are uncertain about which topic area /
study to critically appraise; please choose only one. If you wish to focus on a
different topic area or study, please discuss this with your module tutor first to make
sure it is appropriate.
Suggested topic areas / studies:
1. HIV prevalence in Sub-Saharan Africa
Dwyer-Lindgren, L., Cork, M.A., Sligar, A. et al. (2019). Mapping HIV prevalence in
sub-Saharan Africa between 2000 and 2017. Nature 570, 189–193 (2019).
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1200-9
2. Causes of death amongst homeless people
Aldridge, R. W., Menezes, D., Lewer, D., et al. (2019). Causes of death among
homeless people: a population-based cross-sectional study of linked hospitalisation
and mortality data in England. Wellcome open research, 4, 49.
https://doi.org/10.12688/wellcomeopenres.15151.1
3. Epidemiology of vaccine hesitancy
Wiyeh, A. B., Cooper, S., Nnaji, C. A., & Wiysonge, C. S. (2018). Vaccine hesitancy
‘outbreaks’: using epidemiological modeling of the spread of ideas to understand the
effects of vaccine related events on vaccine hesitancy. Expert Review of Vaccines,
17(12), 1063-1070. https://doi.org/10.1080/14760584.2018.1549994
1
All answers to the question given will need to be supported by references. These
should include the wider literature on epidemiological theory and methodology
literature, as well as global health and/or dominant health systems, to demonstrate
the wider reading you have done.
Tables and graphs can be used where applicable to maximum advantage to
summarize the features, results, and peculiarities/limitations of the studies being
reviewed. Please ensure all tables and graphs are referenced and titled. The text
should not simply reiterate the facts contained in the tables and graphs, but should
represent a critical discussion or synthesis of the material summarized in the tables
and graphs.
Paragraphs should be used at all times in your writing, and you should avoid the use
of lists.
