Environmental Epidemiology

This course is part of the programme
Master’s study programme Environment (second cycle)

Objectives and competences

The purpose of this course is to develop an appropriate level of understanding of epidemiological principles and problems with special emphasis on epidemiological methods that are useful in terms of health problems related to professional exposure to environmental pollution. The issue will be presented in the form of cases illustrating the principles of epidemiology to determine the burden of man and strategies for its reduction.

The students develop competences in cell biology and in toxicology and will acquire a critical evaluation of the processes and methods required to correlate specific diseases to a certain environmental impact. Students will learn basic epidemiology statistic principles. Students will also understand the role of Health Organisations as well as the importance of Environmental Agencies in disease prevention and monitoring at national and world level.

Prerequisites

Basic knowledge of statistical methods and biology is recommended.

Content

The course addresses the following topics:
general approach to environmental epidemiology, epidemiological criteria, descriptive epidemiology, analytical epidemiology, basic biostatistic factors and the effects of variation, critical reading of the epidemiological literature, exposure determination, methods and approaches to reducing exposure, review of environmental epidemiology case studies, selected examples of toxic agents.

Dedicated lectures will be dedicated to basic principles in disease principles, toxicology and cell toxicity. Selected lectures will focus water, air and climate changes epidemiology and chemical intoxication and pesticides effects on human health.

Intended learning outcomes

Knowledge and understanding:
Understanding scientific methods on the basis of public health monitoring, and its causal relation to environmental stressors. Understanding responsabilities of public Environmental and Health Agencies in monitoring public health at world and national levels.

Readings

  • P. Wilkinson, Environmental Epidemiology, Open University Press, 2006 E-version
  • Selected literature in the field

Assessment

• Written examination (75 %) • Oral examination (25 %)

Lecturer's references

Adjunct professor dr. Marko Vudrag in rank of assistant professor, habilitated in the field of »health and environment« at the University of Nova Gorica.

1.01 Original science article

  1. BIZJAK, Tine, NOVAK, Rok, VUDRAG, Marko, KUKEC, Andreja, KONTIĆ, Branko. Evaluating the success of Slovenia's policy on the health of children and adolescents : results of an audit. International Journal of Public Health. Nov. 2020, vol. 65, iss. 8, str. 1225-1234. ISSN 1661-8556. https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s00038-020-01432-0.pdf, DOI: 10.1007/s00038-020-01432-0. [COBISS.SI-ID 23119875], [JCR, SNIP, WoS do 1. 5. 2022: št. citatov (TC): 1, čistih citatov (CI): 0, čistih citatov na avtorja (CIAu): 0,00, Scopus do 22. 4. 2022: št. citatov (TC): 1, čistih citatov na avtorja (CIAu): 0,00]
    financer: Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Marie Skłodowska-Curie Grant Slovenian Research Agencies, 766251, Young researchers
  2. FAFANGEL, Mario, CASSINI, Alessandro, COLZANI, Edoardo, KLAVS, Irena, GRGIČ-VITEK, Marta, UČAKAR, Veronika, MUEHLEN, Marion, VUDRAG, Marko, KRAIGHER, Alenka. Estimating the annual burden of tick-borne encephalitis to inform vaccination policy, Slovenia, 2009 to 2013. Eurosurveillance. [Online ed.]. 2017, vol. 22, iss. 16, str. 1-7. ISSN 1560-7917. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5404479/pdf/eurosurv-22-30509.pdf, DOI: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2017.22.16.30509. [COBISS.SI-ID 63382019], [JCR, SNIP]
  3. ROBNIK LEVART, Monika, HOVNIK-KERŠMANC, Marjetka, ŽERJAL, Živa, SUČIĆ VUKOVIĆ, Marina, PAVLIČ, Helena, STANOJEVIĆ-JERKOVIĆ, Olivera, RANFL, Martin, PAPIĆ, Jasmina, VUDRAG, Marko, IVARTNIK, Matej, GABRIJELČIČ BLENKUŠ, Mojca. Izzivi staranja po mnenju deležnikov v posameznih slovenskih regijah = The challenges of ageing according to stakeholders in individual Slovenian regions. Javno zdravje. 2017, vol. 1, št. 1, str. 23-33. ISSN 2591-0906. http://www.nijz.si/sites/www.nijz.si/files/uploaded/robnik_et_al._jz_01-04.pdf, http://www.dlib.si/details/URN:NBN:SI:DOC-80A26XCB. [COBISS.SI-ID 4062949]
  4. FAFANGEL, Mario, CASSINI, A., COLZANI, Edoardo, KLAVS, Irena, GRGIČ-VITEK, Marta, UČAKAR, Veronika, MUEHLEN, Marion, VUDRAG, Marko, KRAIGHER, Alenka. Estimating the annual burden of tick-borne encephalitis to inform vaccination policy, Slovenia, 2009 to 2013. Eurosurveillance. [Online ed.]. 20. Apr. 2017, vol. 22, iss. 16, str. 1-7. ISSN 1560-7917. http://www.eurosurveillance.org/ViewArticle.aspx?ArticleId=22778, DOI: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2017.22.16.30509. [COBISS.SI-ID 3940837], [JCR, SNIP, WoS do 1. 6. 2023: št. citatov (TC): 12, čistih citatov (CI): 11, čistih citatov na avtorja (CIAu): 1,22, Scopus do 27. 7. 2023: št. citatov (TC): 17, čistih citatov (CI): 16, čistih citatov na avtorja (CIAu): 1,78]
  5. FAFANGEL, Mario, UČAKAR, Veronika, VUDRAG, Marko, BERCE, Ingrid, KRAIGHER, Alenka. A five site Clostridium perfringens food-borne outbreak : a retrospective cohort study = Izbruh okužb s Clostridium perfringens, prenesenih s hrano, na petih lokacijah : retrospektivna kohortna raziskava. Zdravstveno varstvo : Slovenian journal of public health. [Tiskana izd.]. 2015, letn. 54, št. 1, str. 51-57, ilustr., tabele. ISSN 0351-0026. http://www.degruyter.com/view/j/sjph.2015.54.issue-1/sjph-2015-0007/sjph-2015-0007.xml?format=INT, http://www.dlib.si/details/URN:NBN:SI:doc-5EXHVTM1, DOI: 10.1515/sjph-2015-0007. [COBISS.SI-ID 3292133], [JCR, SNIP, WoS do 14. 4. 2023: št. citatov (TC): 4, čistih citatov (CI): 4, čistih citatov na avtorja (CIAu): 0,80, Scopus do 10. 4. 2023: št. citatov (TC): 4, čistih citatov (CI): 4, čistih citatov na avtorja (CIAu): 0,80]
  6. VUDRAG, Marko, KOSTNAPFEL, Tatja, VEGNUTI, Miljana. Mesothelioma risk associated with asbestos production in Slovenia. Arhiv za higijenu rada i toksikologiju. [Print ed.]. 2010, letn. 61, št. 152, str. 45-52. ISSN 0004-1254. DOI: 10.2478/10004-1254-61-2010-1939. [COBISS.SI-ID 26927833], [JCR, SNIP, WoS do 20. 1. 2018: št. citatov (TC): 1, čistih citatov (CI): 1, čistih citatov na avtorja (CIAu): 0,33, Scopus do 30. 1. 2022: št. citatov (TC): 2, čistih citatov (CI): 2, čistih citatov na avtorja (CIAu): 0,67]

1.02 Review scientific article

  1. KOSTNAPFEL, Tatja, BERGER, Tatjana, VUDRAG, Marko. Zdravje za Zasavje - od podrobnejše analize okolja in zdravja v Zasavski regiji do odpravljanja razlik v zdravju : predstavitev rezultatov projekta. Isis : glasilo Zdravniške zbornice Slovenije. [Tiskana izd.]. 1. nov. 2012, leto 21, št. 11, str. 30-34. ISSN 1318-0193. [COBISS.SI-ID 30240985]
  2. VUDRAG, Marko, BOŠTJANČIČ, Darja. Globalna kemizacija - izziv javnemu zdravju = Global chemisation - a major public health challenge. Zdravstveno varstvo : Slovenian journal of public health. [Tiskana izd.]. 2007, letn. 46, št. 1, str. 29-39. ISSN 0351-0026. http://www.ivz.si/javne_datoteke/vestniki/datoteke/163-Vudrag.pdf, http://www.dlib.si/details/URN:NBN:SI:DOC-AEX6F5CH. [COBISS.SI-ID 1754085]
  3. FILIPIČ, Metka, FATUR, Tanja, VUDRAG, Marko. Molecular mechanisms of cadmium-induced mutagenicity. Human and experimental toxicology. 2006, vol. 25, no. 2, str. 67-77. ISSN 0960-3271. [COBISS.SI-ID 1570789], [JCR, SNIP, WoS do 24. 2. 2023: št. citatov (TC): 114, čistih citatov (CI): 114, čistih citatov na avtorja (CIAu): 38,00, Scopus do 31. 3. 2023: št. citatov (TC): 130, čistih citatov (CI): 130, čistih citatov na avtorja (CIAu): 43,33]

1.04 Professional article

  1. VUDRAG, Marko. Kako bo konceptualna revolucija v medicini odpravila oboje, preventivo in kurativo. Isis : glasilo Zdravniške zbornice Slovenije. [Tiskana izd.]. jul. 2020, leto 29, št. 7, str. 37-39. ISSN 1318-0193. http://online.pubhtml5.com/agha/rhmm/#p=37. [COBISS.SI-ID 23934467]
  2. VUDRAG, Marko. O soodvisnosti umora zdravnika v Izoli in odstavljanja ministrice ali Kako preprečiti kolaps sistema zdravstvenega varstva v Sloveniji. Isis : glasilo Zdravniške zbornice Slovenije. [Tiskana izd.]. 2016, letn. 25, št. 10, str. 36-37. ISSN 1318-0193. [COBISS.SI-ID 3729381]
  3. SUŠANJ, Damjana, VUDRAG, Marko. Društvo Goriška proti raku. Poročilo o delu Zveze slovenskih društev in regijskih društev za boj proti raku : za leto ... 2014, str. 60-62. ISSN 1318-4881. [COBISS.SI-ID 3549413]
  4. FAGANEL, Mario, VUDRAG, Marko. Tigrasti komarji : ali je tujerodna vrsta komarjev le tvegana za našo populacijo. Enboz. jun.-jul. 2011, letn. 1, št. 6-7, str. 12-17. ISSN 2232-3139. http://www.ivz.si/enboz. [COBISS.SI-ID 2537701]
  5. VUDRAG, Marko. Kako preko strategij javnega zdravja ter "okolja in zdravja" do dobrega zakona o zdravstveni dejavnosti. Isis : glasilo Zdravniške zbornice Slovenije. [Tiskana izd.]. avgust/september 2010, letn. 19, št. 8/9, str. 34-37. ISSN 1318-0193. [COBISS.SI-ID 27377625]
  6. ZUPANC, D., KRALJ, Leonida, VUDRAG, Marko. Poti do zmanjšanja groženj zdravju. Razvoj : časopis Regionalnega centra za razvoj Zagorje. [Tiskana izd.]. 2007, letn. 9, št. 3, str. 14. ISSN 1581-9957. [COBISS.SI-ID 23314649]
  7. VUDRAG, Marko. Speča nevarnost. Zdravje. [Tiskana izd.]. 2007, letn. 29, št. 327, str. 26-27. ISSN 0351-5621. [COBISS.SI-ID 23404249]
  8. VUDRAG, Marko. Še vedno 'visi' nad nami. Zdravje. [Tiskana izd.]. 2007, letn. 29, št. 328, str. 23-25. ISSN 0351-5621. [COBISS.SI-ID 23404505]