Knowledge guides

LG18: Epidemiology and causation

Epidemiology, pathophysiology, and clinical sciences

Trainees will have in-depth knowledge of the topics listed under each clinical sciences heading.

For the statistical and epidemiological concepts listed, trainees should be able to describe the underlying rationale, the indications for using one test or method over another, and the calculations required to generate descriptive statistics.

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Investigations, procedures, and clinical assessment tools

Trainees will know the scientific foundation of each investigation and procedure, including relevant anatomy and physiology. They will be able to interpret the reported results of each investigation or procedure.

Trainees will know how to explain the investigation or procedure to workers/patients, their families, and/or carers, and be able to explain procedural risk and obtain informed consent where applicable.

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Important specific issues

Trainees will identify important specialty-specific issues and the impact of these on diagnosis, management, and outcomes.

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  • Common types and causes of selection and measurement bias, and the way they might distort study results
  • Commonly used measures of association in epidemiology
  • Identify and assess the presence and influence of potential confounders and how they may affect the interpretation of association between a putative determinant and a health outcome
  • Incidence as a measure of absolute risk
  • Incidence, incidence density, and prevalence, and their meanings
  • Injury and disease causation models, such as the Bradford Hill criteria
  • Interpretation of rates and the information they convey
  • Study design, methodology, and sampling
  • The assessment and management of putative disease clusters
  • The difference between the expression of health-related phenomena as frequencies or rates
  • The distinction between confounding and interaction (or effect modification)
  • The meaning of confidence intervals and p-values
  • The potential effect of chance (random variation) on measurements, observations, and the results of investigations
  • The variety of methods available to deal with confounding
  • Appropriate illustrations graphically summarising the distribution of single variables or the relationship between two or more variables
  • Appropriate tables and graphs
  • Indicators for measuring health status
  • Relevant statistical processes, with an understanding of:
    • accident causation theories
    • accident / incident investigation
    • root cause analysis
  • Tabulations summarising the distribution of single variables or the relationship between two or more variables
  • The calculation and interpretation of appropriate statistics
  • Scientific journal articles
  • Scientific report writing skills
  • Study designs, including their advantages and disadvantages
  • Suitable presentation skills