Epidemiology of substance Use and Abuse

Catalog description

Pre-requisites: EPID 6523 Through lectures and group discussions this course provides the student an overview of the epidemiology of substance use and abuse with emphasis on its historical background, the high -risks groups, and their relationship to other behavioral problems such as violence, suicide, delinquency, and social disorganization. From a perspective of social epidemiology different historic and sociocultural aspects of the substance use and abuse will be discussed scientific articles on the co -morbidity between substance abuse, infectious diseases, and certain mental health conditions will be studied. Relevant methodological aspects in conducting epidemiological studies on substance use will also be analyzed. At the end of the course the student will be able to assess methodological aspects of epidemiological studies as well as the implications of their results in the etiology, treatment, and prevention of substance abuse.