Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics

Animal health is important for sustainable animal production, as well as for companion animals, zoo animals, and wild animals. Besides impacting the animal itself, animal diseases may also pose risks to the health of humans and the environment and have serious economic consequences. During this introductory course we will focus on the health of animals at a population level, and place that in an economic context to support animal health decision making. The overall aim of the course is to introduce and apply epidemiological and economic concepts and methods to prevent, control, and eradicate diseases in animal populations. Specific attention will be paid to 1) concepts of health and disease, 2) causality and measures of disease occurrence, 3) the types, design, and analysis of epidemiological studies, 4) diagnosing animal diseases, and 5) basic economic principles and methods used in decision making regarding animal health. The course will give students basic epidemiological and economic knowledge to understand and design studies to prevent, control and eradicate diseases in animal populations.

• Describe determinants of animal health and disease

• Recognise and describe frequently used epidemiological studies

• Calculate and interpret measures of disease occurrence and disease association

• Use principles of diagnostic test evaluation and interpret the outcomes

• Understand and apply basic economic methods for decision making regarding animal health problems

• Explain the expected effect of disease control using epidemiological and economic criteria

• Apply sample size formulas for disease estimation

• Written test with open and closed questions (100%) The book is an open book exam, i.e. the student is allowed to use the paper book, printed handouts, own summary (handwritten or printed), a simple scientific hardware calculator.

Basic and advanced statistics courses

• The course guide and schedule will be provided before the first lecture. Course book: Veterinary Epidemiology (4th edition, 2018, Thrusfield with Christley) ISBN 9781118280287