Learning objectives

The course aims to provide students with epidemiological knowledge of the global burden of disease, life expectancy, risk and protective factors, screening and health promotion of chronic degenerative diseases.

- Identify pathogenetic mechanisms, individual and environmental risk factors and protective factors underlying the most epidemiologically relevant chronic degenerative diseases (cardiovascular, diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases and cancer).
- Identify the main activities of secondary prevention with particular reference to screening activities.
- Design, manage and evaluate interdisciplinary and inter-professional health education programs oriented to promote protective factors of chronic degenerative diseases at individual, group and community level.
- Analyse programs of primary and secondary prevention interventions in the field of oncology.
- Analyse methodologies to facilitate the adherence of target populations to screening programs.
- Develop steps to design and implement a screening program.
- Understand the different classes of drugs, toxicants and substances of abuse, their main mechanisms of action, therapeutic uses, adverse effects, as well as the principles of pharmaco-vigilance and pharmaco-epidemiology.
- Describe methods and operational logic for the detection of vital signs (FR, PAO, TC, O2 peripheral saturation) and be able to interpret the changes in adults and children.
- Run correctly and with operational logic the diagnostic procedures for screening (simple peripheral venous sampling, capillary sampling, nose-oropharyngeal swab, occult blood, spirometry) and intradermal, intramuscular and subcutaneous injection techniques.

Examination methods: To pass the exam, students will need to demonstrate that they are able to:
- Describe and substantiate the epidemiology and pathogenic mechanisms of chronic degenerative diseases.
- Select modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors.
- Identify and interpret screening in the context of secondary prevention.
- Demonstrate - starting from specific situations - to be able to discuss in a clear and evidence-based way interventions and methodologies for health promotion and/or to elaborate a screening program addressed to target population.
- They should also demonstrate in a simulated situation to be able to correctly perform diagnostic and screening techniques: simple peripheral venous sampling, capillary sampling, nose, nose and throat swab, occult blood, spirometry, intradermal, intramuscular and subcutaneous injection.