BACKGROUND: Applied experiences are important to enhance student learning in epidemiology courses. A disaster epidemiology course has been offered to students in the Oregon State University, Master of Public Health Program for four years. For the class’s culminating experience, students lead a Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response (CASPER) to determine the household preparedness levels of the local community. The objectives of this review are to 1) identify the process of engaging students to lead an applied experience in a graduate-level epidemiology course; and 2) identify the strengths of this particular applied epidemiology experience.
METHODS: Students developed a 2-page questionnaire based on existing questionnaires and input from local experts. Using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) CASPER guidelines, students also implemented a two-stage cluster sampling scheme to identify eligible households in the community. Students were trained in interview techniques, record keeping, safety, communication, data management and data analysis. Paired with undergraduate public health students, 15 teams of 2 students approached 210 households among 30 clusters (i.e. census blocks) over one weekend in November each year. Data from completed surveys were entered into Epi Info and the data were cleaned, coded, and analyzed. Students generated a final report, per CDC CASPER guidelines, and also completed the CASPER field interview team evaluation form.
RESULTS: Qualitative feedback from students’ evaluation forms across the four years included: 1) worthwhile applied, student-led project; 2) enjoyed being paired with undergraduate students to conduct interviews; 3) conducting personal interviews is extremely challenging; 4) two days of data collection on a weekend was problematic (2013 only); 5) concern about only one day of data collection; 6) using Epi Info for analysis was useful as it provided students an opportunity to learn another statistical program; 7) Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval should be secured in order to disseminate results; and 8) writing final report was a useful culminating experience in the course.
CONCLUSIONS: An applied, student-led class project among MPH students was a valuable tool to teach applied epidemiologic methods typically used pre- and post-disasters. There was mixed feedback regarding the second day of data collection; however, consideration should be given to adding the second day of data collection to increase response rates. Institutional Review Board approval was obtained prior to the 2016 offering which enabled the results to be shared with local stakeholders. IRB approval should be obtained in future CASPERs to maximize use of results.