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HPH 562 Data Management and Informatics

Fall 2008

Location: The Barry S. Coller Learning Center (HSC library Classroom #1)

Wednesdays 5pm-7pm

 

Instructor:                     Hongdao Meng

HSC, Level 3, Room 079

631-444-7281

hongdao.meng@stonybrook.edu

 

TA:                              Yifan Wang, wyifan2007@gmail.com

 

Office Hours:                Wednesdays 5pm-6pm or by appointment

 

 

I. Course Aims and Objectives: 

 

Aims: This course is intended to provide students and researchers with an introduction to the principles of public health informatics and a hands-on experience in data management and in their applications in research.

 

Learning Objectives: By the end of this course, you should be able to:

 

1.      Define basic concepts in public health informatics, Retrieve information about population health from main sources in the U.S.

 

2.      Import, create, maintain, modify, and manage data sets using the SAS Systems for Windows; Create variables, merge multiple datasets, generate descriptive and analytical statistics frequently used in public health and clinical research.

 

3.      Understand characteristics of health care data, demonstrate ability to perform data validation and common manipulation techniques.

 

4.      Implement standard statistical methods (test, t test, analysis of variance, correlation, linear regression, and logistic regression) using SAS.

II. Pre-requisites:

 

To enroll students must have had at least a college level statistics course and a working knowledge of Microsoft Windows, including: how to locate files on the hard disks or removable disks, file naming conventions, saving changes to a file, copying, moving, renaming files, using Windows Explorer and other common programs such as NOTEPAD, WORD, EXCEL, etc.

 

 

III. Format: 

 

Classroom activities include one lecture (5pm-5:50pm, Wednesday) and a lab (6pm-6:50pm) each week as indicated on the schedule. Class attendance to lectures and labs is crucial.  You will be responsible for the course materials taught in class and labs.

Course Website: http://blackboard.stonybrook.edu (Please visit the site on a regular basis for announcements, handouts, data, and discussions)

 

 

IV. Text, Software, and Hardware: 

 

Required Textbook: Lora D. Delwiche and Susan J. Slaughter, The Little SAS Book: A Primer (3rd edition). SAS Institute Inc., 2003. (ISBN: 1-559047-333-7)

 

Storage media: a USB “Thumb” Drive to store your work.

 

V. Grading:     Grades will be computed as follows:

 

Quiz                                         14 points (2×7)

Lab                                          16 points (2×8)

Homework                               20 points (2×10)

Mid-term exam             25 points

Final exam                                25 points

 

The final letter grade will be determined from the total points scored from the assignments and examinations. All quizzes are close-book close-notes.

 

As a general rule, make up exams and advance exams will not be given. Exceptions may be given in cases of documented inability to attend. Valid reasons will be considered at the instructor’s discretion. These cases should be communicated to the instructor well in advance.

 

VI. Computing and Technology:

 

Use of a statistical software package is essential for this course. SAS is available on computers in the HSC library (You need to set up an account with the library). If you cannot come to the HSC library to do your homework and/or plan on using SAS at home, you can purchase the SAS software package from the Main library. Students can purchase a license that is good for the entire duration of your graduate program for $22 (need Student I.D.) at the Main Library SINC site (West Campus). Their hours are posted on the website http://www.sinc.sunysb.edu/.

 

We will also use the Classroom Performance System (CPS) to facilitate our question/answers and Quizzes. More details about CPS to follow.

 

 

Last updated: 9/02/08