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INTRODUCTION TO BIOSTATISTICS

Reynaldo G. San Luis III, MD


Department of Preventive and Community Health
Jonelta Foundation School of Medicine
University of Perpetual Help Rizal
Learning Objectives
At the end of the section, the students should be able to:
 Explain what is Biostatistics and its importance;
 Describe the phenomenon of variability;
 Differentiate
 descriptive and inferential statistics
 Constant and variable
 Qualitative and quantitative variables
 Discrete and continuous quantitative variables
 Levels of measurement (nominal, ordinal, interval and ratio)
What is Statistics?
 Singular
 science which deals with the collection, organization, analysis
and interpretation of numerical data

 Plural
 a set of data or a mass of observations
 Vital, health hospital, public health statistics
Biostatistics
 Biostatistics
 Application of statistics to biological (life) problems
 Public health
 Medicine
 Ecological and environment
 Agriculture
Biostatistics
 It is the science which deals with development and
application of the most appropriate methods for the :
 Collection of data
 Presentation of the collected data
 Analysis and interpretation of the results
 Making decisions on the basis of such analysis
Why do we need statistics?
 Variation
 tendency of a measurable characteristics to change with respect
to person, place and time
 Example: body mass index
 Statistics is necessary to analyze variability in order to
describe a certain characteristics or to make a valid
conclusion
Uses of Statictics
a. Data reduction technique
 Census vs. survey
b. Objective appraisal and evaluation
 Am I likely to benefit from taking this medicine?
 Understanding of statistics can help anyone discriminate
between fact and fancy in daily life
c. Tool in the decision making process
 What drug should I recommend for my patients?
Why Study Statistics?
1. Knowledge of statistics is essential for people going into
research, management or graduate study
2. A course in statistics should help one know when and for
what, a statistician should be consulted

Source: Rahbar, MH (n.d.). Introduction to Biostatistics . Retrieved June 12, 2007, from
http://www.pitt.edu/~super1/ppt.htm
Role of Statistics in Research
Aids the researcher in
1. Designing a research project
2. Processing, organizing, and summarizing research data
3. Quantifying variability
4. Interpreting results and drawing valid conclusions
Branches of Statistics
1. Descriptive statistics
 Statistical techniques for summarizing and presenting data in a form that
will make them easier to analyze and interpret
 Counts, proportions, tables, graphs, etc.
Branches of Statistics
2. Inferential statistics
 Concerned with making estimated, predictions,
generalizations and conclusions about a target population
based on information from a sample
a. Estimation (point or interval)
 Estimating prevalence of TB in the Philippines
b. Hypothesis testing
 Testing the effectiveness of a new drug in reducing the
cholesterol levels
Process Involved in Inference
1. Statement of an objective
2. Data collection
 Measurement
 Methods of data collection
 sampling
3. Analysis using appropriate test statistic
4. Interpretation
5. Drawing inferences regarding the population
Nature of Statistical Data

1. Expressed numerically
2. Treated as a mass or group of observations
3. Subject to variation
Constant vs Variable
 Constant
 Fix or unchanging measurement/phenomenon

 Variable
 A characteristic that can take on different values for different members of
a group or set
 Changing or inconsistent measurements
 Cannot be predicted with certainty
Types of variables

Quantitative Qualitative
variables variables
Quantitative Qualitative
continuous nominal

Quantitative Qualitative
discrete ordinal
Types of variable
 Qualitative variables
 Variables whose categories are simply used as labels to distinguish one
group from another
 Numerical representation of the categories are for labeling/coding and
not for comparison (greater or less)
 e.g., sex, religion, place of residence, disease status
Types of variable
 Quantitative variables
 Values indicate a quantity or amount and can be expressed numerically
 Values can be arranged according to magnitude
 e.g., age, height, weight, blood pressure
Types of variable
 Quantitative variables may be
 Discrete
o Can assume only integral values or whole numbers
o e.g., number of children in the family, number of beds in the
hospital

 Continuous
o Can attain any value including fractions or decimals
o e.g., height, weight
Measurement
 Process of assigning qualitative or quantitative information to
characteristics of people, objects or events according to set of
rules
Levels of Measurement
1. Nominal
 Lowest level of measurement
 A classificatory scale where the categories are used as labels only;
(does not represent qty)
 Number or names which represent a set of mutually exclusive and
exhaustive classes to which individuals or objects (attributes) may
be assigned
 e.g. sex (male, female),race, blood groups, psych diagnosis e.g.
Manic depressive or schizo, patient ID no.
Levels of Measurement
2. Ordinal
 Same characteristics as for nominal scales with the additional
feature that the classes can be ordered or franked, however
the distance between two categories cannot be clearly
quantified
 e.g. psychosocial scales (strongly disagree, disagree, agree,
strongly agree), age groups (infant, child, teenager, adult)
Levels of Measurement
3. Interval
 Same characteristics as for ordinal scales with the additional
feature that the distances between all adjacent classes are equal
 Conceptually, these scales are infinite, in that they have neither
beginning nor ending
 Zero point is arbitrary and does not mean absence of the
characteristics
 Interval measurement ratios don’t make any sense – 80 degrees
is not twice as hot as 40 degress
Levels of Measurement
4. Ratio
 Same characteristics as for ordinal scales with the additional
feature that the meaningful zero point exists
 Ratio of two numbers can be meaningfully computed and
interpreted
 e.g. weight, height, doctor visits, number of DMF teeth
Levels of Measurement
 One characteristics can be measured using different scales
 Transformation
 Ratio to lower level of measurements

 Desirable to have a higher level of measurement (e.g.,


interval or ratio) rather than a lower one (nominal or
ordinal)
Levels of Measurement
 One of the major determinants of the type of statistical
technique that can be most appropriately applied to the data
Ratio
Absolute zero

Interval
Distance is
meaningful

Ordinal
Attributes can be
ordered

Nominal
Attributes are only
named; weakest
Summary
 Definition of Biostatistics
 Phenomenon of Variation
 Uses of statistics
 Role of Statistics in Research
 Branches of Statistics
 Descriptive
 Inferential
o Process involve in Inference
 Nature of Statistical Data
Summary
 Types of Variable
 Qualitative
 Quantitative
o Discrete
o Continuous
 Levels of Measurement
 Nominal
 Ordinal
 Interval
 Ratio

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