The ability for public health professionals to critically evaluate the scientific literature is an important skill. Developing and sharpening this skill will allow you to apply the best and most updated research to the application of your work. Research has influenced policy development, the dosage of various medications, the ability to manage the spread of disease, the safety of various medical programs, the impact of educational health programs, and many other public health functions.
After you have read Chapter 14 of the textbook and reviewed the examples provided, you will select a public health issue. You will research this public health issue all semester, so make sure it is something you are interested in. For example, you can research maternal health, obesity, mental health, environmental health, infectious diseases (tuberculosis, malaria, HIV/AIDS) or chronic conditions (cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases). Once you have selected your semester topic, you will find THREE epidemiological studies about your topic. Each of the THREE articles must have a different study design (Chapter 6). Once you have your topic and articles you will write a critical review of the study using the outline discussed in Chapter 14 (Exhibit 14-1).
