C. Hadjichristodoulou, G. Rachiotis, Ε. Malisiova,  P. Mina, Μ. Koureas, M. Kiritsi, Α. Syggelakis, D.Kafetsouli, Ioanna Avakian

Face to Face

Lectures

Laboratories

MANDATORY ATTENDANCES -LECTURES: NO

Learning process support through the e-class online platform.

Use of ICT (e-mail) in communication with students.

The language of assessment is English.

Evaluation methods.

Assessment methods: Written or oral exam (100% of the total mark).

The course and teachers’ evaluation is carried out – at the end of the semester – through the completion of a specific questionnaire by the students. Students are encouraged to express their opinions through the questionnaire both on the educational process of the course in question, and on any changes that are necessary in their opinion. Student responses are taken under consideration in order to make improvement changes.

The purpose of this course is to familiarize students with the principles of public health, social medicine, prevention of diseases and evidence-based medicine.

After successfully completing the course students will be able to:

• Understand the importance of a public health/population hygiene and the perspective in daily medical practice and clinical decision-making.
• Demonstrate knowledge in the concepts and applications of prevention strategies and health promotion, as well as, the effect of the environment (natural and hospital environment, nutrition, smoking, alcoholism) on the development of infectious and chronic diseases (cancer, coronary heart disease, diabetes). In addition, they will gain a knowledge of the epidemiology and prevention of infectious diseases (pathogens, mortality, fatality, reservoir, incubation period and prevention and control measures/vaccinations) and chronic diseases, screening and the conditions for its application in clinical practice, as well as, the epidemiology and prevention of accidents, the basic principles of health economics and their applications in preventive medicine. Finally, they will have learnt about the importance of population movements and sea and air transport and trade in the disease spread and the application of International Health Regulations (IHR) for the protection of public health.
• Distinguish the ways of providing preventive medicine services and give relevant examples. Also, be able to distinguish the different levels of effectiveness of each level of prevention in health protection.
• Apply acquired knowledge in order to critically appraise published literature, compose a written assigment related to a disease, with an emphasis on screening for that disease and present results to the public. Also, have the ability to apply guidelines in daily clinical practice not only for the screening of a disease but also for their primary prevention. Additionally, after completing the laboratory exercise in the Microbiological and Chemical laboratory of the Regional Public Health Laboratory of Thessaly, students will be able to evaluate and interpret the chemical and microbiological indicators of food, drinking water, recreational waters and other environmental samples quality.

•   Critically appraise published literature highlighting the strengths and limitations of the studied research methods. Additionally, students will be able to collaborate with fellow students to search for and critically process published information relevant to disease screening guidelines (secondary prevention).

General Abilities

• Research, analysis and synthesis of data and information, using the necessary technologies
• Adaptation to new situations
• Decision making
• Autonomous work
• Teamwork
• Exercise criticism and self-criticism
• Promoting free, creative and inductive thinking

1. Theory

Introduction to Public Health and Preventive Medicine

Epidemiology and prevention of infectious diseases

Screening programmes

Introduction to environmental health

Prevention of nosocomial infections and hospital hygiene

The role of sea and air transport – International Health Regulations

Prevention of waterborne diseases – Drinking and recreational water safety

Climate Change and Public Health

Basic nutrition principles: Mediterranean diet

Zoonosis/Animal disease and Foodborne Diseases prevention

Waste Management and Public Health

Vaccination policies

Transmission and preventive measures of infectious diseases

Epidemiology and prevention of chronic diseases – coronary heart disease, diabetes mellitus

Epidemiology and accident prevention

Smoking, alcoholism, drugs

Health economics

Epidemiology and prevention of cancer

2. Exercises

Screening

Exercise: “Climate Change and Public Health”

Exercise: “Study of Air Pollution Episodes (London 1952)” and “Case Study of Dietary Exposure to Mercury During Pregnancy”

Nosocomial infection prevention exercise

Exercise to deal with a public health emergency of international concern

Selection and application of personal protective equipment and infection control practices in the hospital environment

3. Laboratories:

Α. Microbiological Laboratory: Detection of Hepatitis A virus in food with real-time PCR. Identification of microorganisms with Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Time of Flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry (MS). Demonstration of good hand washing practice and comparison of pre- and post-washing hand comparison of flora using culture techniques. Determination of safety indicators in food based on regulation 2073/2005 of the European Commission on microbiological criteria in food. Detection and enumeration of Legionella spp. in water samples for human consumption based on the international standard (ISO) 11731:2017. Determination of microbiological indicators in samples of water for human consumption in accordance with Joint Ministerial Decision “KYA Γ1(d)/ΓΠ οικ.67322”.

Β. Chemical Laboratory: Water quality in an Artificial Kidney Unit, Chemical quality control of surface water and wastewater, Quantitative determination of antibiotics in blood plasma by HPLC.

1. Public Health. Jenny Kourea-Kremastinou. 2007.
2. Hygiene and Epidemiology. Μ. Arvanitidou- Vagiona. 2023.

-Related bibliography: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/