Epi Info™ Training

What is Epi Info?

Epi_info

Epi Info™ is a public domain suite of interoperable software tools designed for public health practitioners and researchers, developed and provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). For more information, click here https://www.cdc.gov/epiinfo/index.html.  

What can I do with Epi Info?

Epi Info™ provides: 

  • easy data entry form and database construction,
  • a customized data entry experience,
  • and data analyses with epidemiologic statistics, maps, and graphs

Epi Info™ is used for outbreak investigations; for developing small to mid-sized disease surveillance systems; as analysis, visualization, and reporting components of larger systems; and in the continuing education in the science of epidemiology and public health analytic methods at schools of public health around the world. CDC’s Epi Info User Guide is available for download here: https://www.cdc.gov/epiinfo/support/userguide.html and provides step-by-step directions for using the software.

How do I use this training?

The goals of this training are to:

  • Develop a broad understanding of Epi Info’s™ features and functions.
  • Have hands-on experience with Epi Info™ through:
    • Designing simple data entry forms.
    • Implementing simple data entry validation.
    • Basic analysis and data management features.
    • Basic mapping.

This training is a series of seven self-paced modules. The first two provide an introduction and important directions for completing the training. The five “Lesson” modules introduce content, provide demonstration videos, assess skill adoption, and allow the trainee to print a Certificate of Completion. The video demonstrations accompany the tutorial “Epi Info™ 7 Salmonella Outbreak Tutorial” available for download here: https://www.cdc.gov/epiinfo/support/tutorials.html.

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Training Scenario (3 minutes)

This module presents the outbreak scenario (a company picnic) used for the subsequent modules.

Pages 12-13 in the Salmonella Outbreak Tutorial


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Course Introduction (10 minutes)

This module presents the objectives for the course, an overview of the topics to be covered, directions for downloading and installing Epi Info™, and information about the structure and file types for Epi Info™ projects.

Slides 1 - 27: Presentation slides

Slides 28 – 30: Additional resources

Pages 9-11 in the Salmonella Outbreak Tutorial


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Lesson 1. Developing Forms using Form Designer  (60 minutes)

After this module, you should be able to open the Create Forms module, identify features of forms, create different types of fields, add pages, and use and create templates in your forms.

Slides 1-51: Presentation slides

Slides 52-60: Instructor led video demonstration

Slides 61-75: Knowledge check

Pages 14-60 in the Salmonella Outbreak Tutorial


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Lesson 2. Adding Intelligence to Forms (35 minutes)

After this module, you should be familiar with the check code workspace, understand the basics of check code, identify different check code commands, and create basic check code logic.

Slides 1-24: Presentation slides

Slides 25-28: Instructor led video demonstration

Slides 29-38: Knowledge check

Pages 61-94 in the Salmonella Outbreak Tutorial


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Lesson 3. Entering Data  (25 minutes)

After this module, you should be able to open the Enter Data module, enter records into an Epi Info form, navigate records, generate a line list, and import data into an Epi Info project.

Slides 1-15: Presentation slides

Slides 16-24: Instructor led video demonstration

Slides 25-31: Knowledge check

Pages 95-109 in the Salmonella Outbreak Tutorial


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Lesson 4. Using the Visual Dashboard for Analysis (60 minutes)

After this module, you should be able to read multiple data formats using visual dashboard, be familiar with the visual dashboard workspace, understand some basic data managing and manipulation features, generate statistics using frequencies, cross stratification of variables, 2x2 tables and means, and save canvas files and export data in multiple formats

Slides 1-22: Presentation slides

Slides 23-31: Instructor led video demonstration

Slides 32-43: Knowledge check

Pages 110-166 in the Salmonella Outbreak Tutorial


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Lesson 5. Mapping (25 minutes)

After this module, you should be able to understand the fundamental concepts of Epi Map, generate case cluster and choropleth maps, and understand some geo-referencing concepts.

Slides 1-27: Presentation slides

Slides 28-31: Instructor led video demonstration

Slides 32-38: Knowledge check

Pages 167-202 in the Salmonella Outbreak Tutorial

Acknowledgements

This training series is a joint effort by the Tennessee Department of Health and East Tennessee State University’s College of Public Health. The development of this training was funded through CDC’s Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) Cooperative Agreement.

Special thanks to CDC’s Epi Info Team, Paula Masters, Sam Pettyjohn and Dr. Megan Quinn of East Tennessee State University, and Dr. Rendi Murphree and Julie Shaffner, CDC Field Assignees to the Tennessee Department of Health.

Please email CEDEP.Surveillance@tn.gov with questions, comments, or suggestions.