Making sense of the evidence to inform programmes, policies, and practice
This course offers a thorough introduction to the methods and tools required to evaluate, synthesize, and apply evidence in public health practice and research.
Course facilitated by:
About the course
In the rapid-evolving landscape of public health research, systematically synthesizing evidence is critical for informed decision-making and advancing scientific understanding. This course offers a thorough introduction to the methods and tools required to evaluate, synthesize, and apply evidence in public health practice and research. Designed for researchers and public health practitioners at any level, this course provides foundational knowledge of systematic and scoping reviews, meta-analysis, and the integration of evidence into actionable recommendations.
Participants will engage with the principles of evidence reviews, including protocol development, question formulation, literature search strategies, data extraction, and quality appraisal. The course introduces various study designs essential for public health, enabling participants to conduct rigorous risk-of-bias assessments. A unique feature of the course is an introduction to the application of meta-analysis, a statistical toolkit for synthesizing findings from multiple studies. Participants will learn how to conduct meta-analyses, assess heterogeneity, and interpret pooled results using the freely-available R software.
The course also incorporates modern tools and approaches, including artificial intelligence and note-taking platforms, to streamline the review process and enhance productivity.
Learning objectives
By the end of the course the participant will:
- Understand the key steps in conducting systematic and scoping reviews, including literature mapping and quality appraisal;
- Gain knowledge of pivotal study designs, such as randomized controlled trials, and their evaluation;
- Master the foundational methods of meta-analysis, including heterogeneity assessment and publication bias detection;
- Acquire skills to synthesize evidence using R, including meta-regression and graphical representations like forest plots;
- Develop proficiency in using digital tools to organize and synthesize evidence for public health applications.
Prerequisites
No prior statistical modeling knowledge is required, but familiarity with basic epidemiological concepts is recommended. Participants must install R and RStudio before the course for hands-on meta-analysis sessions.
Pedagogical methods
This 3-day course is a mixture of theoretical lectures, tutor-facilitated small group sessions, and hands-on tutorials with presentations and feedback given.
Pedagogical methods
Assessment procedure
In order to get the Certificate of completion and the 1 ECTS participants MUST:
- Attend at least 80%of the course;
- Attend the plenary offered during the first day of the course;
- Actively participate in group-based discussions and exercises;
- Deliver a final team-presentation on the critical assessment of a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Format description
At least one facilitator will be on-site in Lugano, and some will join online. Participants are welcomed to join either on-site in Lugano, or online. In case of a change of regional policies (e.g., Covid) or personal reasons, the course could change to online. For those on-site, the course will take place at Università della Svizzera italiana (USI).
For course pricing information, see here. Discounts are available for participants from LMICs, PhD and Master Students, and Students and Employees from the LSS Partner Universities (SSPH+, USI, SUPSI, and SWISS TPH).