Tip of the Spear :Event Based Epidemiology

Abstract

This volume contains four projects as well as additional public health experiences that satisfy the competencies of the Master of Philosophy (Applied Epidemiology) that was conducted through placement at UNSW's Kirby Institutes Biosecurity Program, which features the EPIWATCH Open Source Outbreak Early Warning system.

These projects contain an evaluation of the Syndromic surveillance component of EPIWATCH, completing the evaluation of a surveillance system competency as well as the minor competency of presenting at a scientific conference. An epidemiological investigation using survey data into Australian Attitudes and Behaviors related to COVID-19 public health measures including predictors for satisfaction to government's removal of mandatory isolation, which achieves the competencies of analyzing a public health data set and designing a epidemiological study. An analysis of potential outbreaks following two laboratory incidents in the United States of America using the event-based capabilities of EPIWATCH, serving to complete the competencies of conducting an epidemiological study competency as well as the minor competency of preparing a advanced draft for publication. Finally a measles outbreak investigation was conducted that occurred in early 2024 in Southeast Sydney that satisfies the competencies of investigating an acute public health problem or threat. The outbreak also satisfies the minor competences of conducting a literature review and creating a Lay Summary.

The final chapter includes my additional experiences while undertaking this thesis, including teaching epidemiology to my peers as well as to graduate students. My presentations to my colleagues at the Biosecurity Program as well as my presentation to the general community at the Communicable Diseases and Immunization Conference in Brisbane in Mid-2024.

The conclusions made from my projects, as well as the experiences that I was able to obtain have contributed to the wider body of research in applied epidemiology as well as to inform public health policy.