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Questions and Answers
Why are statistics used in health sciences?
Why are statistics used in health sciences?
- To track real-time data on hospital admissions.
- To identify individual patient needs for more personalized treatment plans.
- To determine the specific types of diseases affecting a population.
- To understand and assess the health of a population in terms of disease prevalence, risk factors, and treatment effectiveness. (correct)
A sample is the entire group that you want to draw conclusions about.
A sample is the entire group that you want to draw conclusions about.
False (B)
Define the process of sampling in the context of statistical analysis.
Define the process of sampling in the context of statistical analysis.
Sampling is the process of selecting a subset of a population to make inferences about the entire population.
The goal of ______ is to draw conclusions about a population based on data obtained from a representative subset of that population.
The goal of ______ is to draw conclusions about a population based on data obtained from a representative subset of that population.
Match the following terms with their correct descriptions:
Match the following terms with their correct descriptions:
What is the primary reason for using sampling in research?
What is the primary reason for using sampling in research?
Taking a larger sample always guarantees a more accurate representation of the population.
Taking a larger sample always guarantees a more accurate representation of the population.
Describe how prevalence, risk factors, and treatment effectiveness contribute to understanding population health, according to the text.
Describe how prevalence, risk factors, and treatment effectiveness contribute to understanding population health, according to the text.
In statistical terms, location refers to ______, while spread refers to the ______ of the data.
In statistical terms, location refers to ______, while spread refers to the ______ of the data.
Match each term to its statistical meaning:
Match each term to its statistical meaning:
What does the term central tendency refer to in statistics?
What does the term central tendency refer to in statistics?
The standard deviation measures the central tendency of a dataset.
The standard deviation measures the central tendency of a dataset.
How does understanding both the central tendency and spread improve statistical analysis?
How does understanding both the central tendency and spread improve statistical analysis?
In statistics, the ______ is the sum of all observations divided by the number of observations.
In statistics, the ______ is the sum of all observations divided by the number of observations.
Match each health science concept to its appropriate statistical application:
Match each health science concept to its appropriate statistical application:
If researchers find a high standard deviation within a dataset, what can they infer?
If researchers find a high standard deviation within a dataset, what can they infer?
Categorical variables, such as eye color, can be analyzed using means and standard deviations.
Categorical variables, such as eye color, can be analyzed using means and standard deviations.
Explain why study design is critical to interpreting statistical results, even if the statistical analysis is flawless.
Explain why study design is critical to interpreting statistical results, even if the statistical analysis is flawless.
To calculate a percentage, you multiply the ratio of the number with a characteristic to the total number by ______.
To calculate a percentage, you multiply the ratio of the number with a characteristic to the total number by ______.
Match the following concepts with the formulas:
Match the following concepts with the formulas:
If a study reports that 35% of participants have a certain condition, which of the following statements is also true?
If a study reports that 35% of participants have a certain condition, which of the following statements is also true?
A proportion can be greater than 1.
A proportion can be greater than 1.
Explain why it is important to know the range of possible values when analyzing percentages.
Explain why it is important to know the range of possible values when analyzing percentages.
In a dataset with a minimum value of 0 and a maximum value of 1, the data represents a ______.
In a dataset with a minimum value of 0 and a maximum value of 1, the data represents a ______.
Match the following statistical measures with their appropriate interpretations in a study about water coverage:
Match the following statistical measures with their appropriate interpretations in a study about water coverage:
After conducting multiple surveys, it is found that the estimated water coverage of Earth ranges from 40% to 77%. What does this range indicate?
After conducting multiple surveys, it is found that the estimated water coverage of Earth ranges from 40% to 77%. What does this range indicate?
A larger sample size always eliminates uncertainty in statistical estimates.
A larger sample size always eliminates uncertainty in statistical estimates.
Explain how the size of a sample affects the reliability of the estimate of a population parameter.
Explain how the size of a sample affects the reliability of the estimate of a population parameter.
A variable that can only take on one of two possible values is known as a ______ variable.
A variable that can only take on one of two possible values is known as a ______ variable.
Match the variable type with its example:
Match the variable type with its example:
Why are proportions and percentages used to describe categorical variables?
Why are proportions and percentages used to describe categorical variables?
Continuous variables can only take integer values.
Continuous variables can only take integer values.
What is the formula for the mean?
What is the formula for the mean?
The ______ is a measure of variability of spread.
The ______ is a measure of variability of spread.
Match the graph type with the data it displays:
Match the graph type with the data it displays:
Flashcards
What is a sample?
What is a sample?
A part of the population selected for study.
What is a population?
What is a population?
The entire group of individuals about which we want information.
What is sampling?
What is sampling?
Estimating characteristics of a whole population by examining a subset of that population.
What are categorical variables?
What are categorical variables?
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What are continuous variables?
What are continuous variables?
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What is the mean?
What is the mean?
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What is Standard Deviation?
What is Standard Deviation?
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What is a Histogram?
What is a Histogram?
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What is statistical inference?
What is statistical inference?
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What is a proportion?
What is a proportion?
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What is percentage?
What is percentage?
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What are: Tables and graphs?
What are: Tables and graphs?
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Study Notes
Introduction to Biostatistics
- Lecture 12 introduces Biostatistics
- It will provide an introduction to statistics
- Discusses the process of sampling
- Explores the distinction between a population and a sample
- Describes the purpose of taking a sample for analysis
- Explains the differentiation between location (central tendency) and spread of data
Statistics in Health Sciences
- Statistics are used in health sciences to understand the health of populations
- This includes prevalence of disease, risk factors, and treatment effectiveness
- HUBS191 provides an introduction to these concepts
Examples of Statistics in Health Sciences
- Statistics can be used to investigate the commonality of knee injuries in New Zealand
- Between July 2000 and June 2005, there were 238,488 ACC claims for knee ligament injuries
- 7375 claims were identified as anterior cruciate ligament surgeries (ACLS)
- The average cost per injury was $885.31 for a non-surgical and $11,157.35 for ACL surgery
- Statistics can also be used to investigate how many people have melanoma in NZ
- Additionally statistics can also be used to investigate how many people get diagnosed with melanoma each year, risk factors, and optimal post-treatment follow ups
Samples vs. Populations
- Statistical analysis aims to understand characteristics of a population
- Often, analyzing a sample is necessary due to impracticality of testing an entire population
- Statistics acknowledges and deals with uncertainty in data
Sampling
- Sampling is investigating a representative sample
- From the sample, inferences about a larger population are formed as its costly to investigate the entire population
Prevalence of Sampling
- Sampling is used in health sciences to determine prevalence of obesity
- Sampling is also used in smoking cessation programs
- Drug efficacy and understanding the structure/function of the central nervous system are also a use of sampling
Study Design
- Interpreting statistics is inherent to study design
- Poorly designed studies cannot be saved by numbers or statistics
Research Question: Percentage of Earth Covered in Water
- Percentage is calculated as 100% x (number with characteristic / total number)
- In this case, it's 100% x (area covered by water / total surface area)
- Proportions and percentages are often used interchangeably
- Proportion is the number with a characteristic divided by the total number
- 35% represents a proportion of 0.35
- The percentage of Earth covered in water lies between 0% (no water) and 100% (all water)
Application of Sampling
- Obtaining a sample is one way of finding the percentage of earth covered in water
- Considerations include how to collect the data and determine the sample size
Results from 2019
- 47% from 4pm lectures, 29% to 65%
- 60% from 4pm lectures, 42% to 78%
- 60% from 4pm lectures, 42% to 78%
- 73% from 5pm lectures, 58% to 89%
- 40% from 5pm lectures, 22% to 58%
- 77% from 5pm lectures, 62% to 92%
- Questions addressed include error in the estimate and impact of a larger sample size
Categorical Variables
- A binary categorical variable has only two possible values, like land or water
- Variables can be summarized by the number in each category and the corresponding percentage or proportion
- For example, if 3 out of 30 people had stage 0 cancer, proportion is 1.0%
Continuous Variables
- Can take on any value
- Examples: height, weight, age, blood pressure.
- Interested in mean, the average height of New Zealanders
- Mean is the sum of all heights divided by the total number of observations.
Standard Deviation
- Measures variability or spread of data
- It can show how far away each observation is from the mean on average
Estimating Total Weight
- To estimate the total weight of a container with 100 lollies, you can weigh a sample of 5 then multiply by 20
- Choosing the right lollies to weigh is important to attain an accurate number
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