This course will address the epidemiology of disability outcomes through a mix of didactic presentation and critical discussion of the literature, covering both observational and intervention studies. Qualitative research methods will also be highlighted in terms of how they can enrich the study hypotheses, construct measures, etc. The first half of the course will cover observational studies of individual and environmental risk factors for disability outcomes, including features of both the workplace and the community. Then we will describe the key design features of clinical trials to evaluate interventions, again at oth the individual and the organizational levels. Interspersed with lecture material, selected observational and intervention tudies from the peer-reviewed scientific literature will be evaluated with respect to study design, methodologic rigor, and adequacy of statistical analysis.
