Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health: Department of International Health

Course Title:
Systems Science in Public Health: Basic Modeling and Simulation Methods

Instructor: 
Bruce Y. Lee, Director, Global Obesity Prevention Center (GOPC), Course Director, brucelee@jhu.edu

Please vist the CoursePlus site for this course

Course Description:

Mathematical and computational modeling and simulation methods have helped transform many industries and fields such as manufacturing, transportation, communications, and finance and are increasingly being used in public health. As the use of such methods continues to grow, regardless of one’s eventual role in public health, familiarity with such approaches and methods will likely become more and more important in the future.

Introduces students to mathematical and computational modeling and simulation methods that can help public health decision makers better understand and improve various systems in public health. Addresses the basic concepts of mathematical and computational modeling and simulation. Covers probability theory, decision analysis, Markov models, compartment models, and systems dynamics models, as well as basics of economic and operational modeling. Introduces TreeAge, and VenSim software. Examples of public health systems addressed include both communicable and non-communicable disease control programs (e.g., vaccines, medications, and non-pharmaceutical interventions), dietary and physical activity behaviors and interventions, and healthcare systems and healthcare policy.

Learning Objectives:

• Evaluate and critique a mathematical or computational model and its results
• Develop a basic mathematical/computational model and apply it to public health issue/questions
• Translate modeling results to public health decision-making

Prerequisites:

Any of the following Biostatistics Courses is required: 

• 140.615-616 Statistics for Laboratory Scientists I-II
• 140.621-624 Statistical Methods in Public Health I-II
• 140.651-654 Methods in Biostatistics I-II

221.654.81 Systems Thinking in Public Health course is recommended.