Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Chapter 1 Introduction
Chapter 1 Introduction
Basic Biostatistics
Wullo S. (MPH)
9/30/21 1
Chapter One
1.1 Introduction to Biostatistics
09/30/2021 2
Definition and classification of Biostatistics
09/30/2021 3
Classification of Biostatistics
Descriptive biostatistics
A statistical method that is concerned with the collection,
organization, summarization, and analysis of data from a
sample of population.
Inferential biostatistics
A statistical method that is concerned with the drawing
conclusions/inference about a particular population by
selecting and measuring a random sample from the population.
09/30/2021 4
Cont…
B io s t a t is t ic s
D e s c r ip t iv e S t a t is t ic s I n f e r e n t ia l S ta t is t ic s
c o lle c t io n m a k in g in f e r e n c e s
o r g a n iz in g h y p o t h e s is t e s t in g
s u m m a r iz in g d e t e r m i n i n g r e l a t i o n s h ip
p r e s e n t in g o f d a ta m a k in g t h e p re d ic t io n
09/30/2021 5
Descriptive Biostatistics
09/30/2021 6
Inferential Biostatistics
09/30/2021 7
1.2 Stages in statistical investigation
There are five stages or steps in any statistical investigation.
1. Collection of data
The process of obtaining measurements or counts.
2. Organization of data
Includes editing, classifying, and tabulating the data
collected.
3. Presentation of data:
overall view of what the data actually looks like.
facilitate further statistical analysis.
Can be done in the form of tables and graphs or diagrams.
09/30/2021 8
Cont…
4. Analysis of data
To dig out useful information for decision making
It involves extracting relevant information from the data
(like mean, median, mode, range, variance…),
5. Interpretation of data
Concerned with drawing conclusions from the data
collected and analyzed; and giving meaning to analysis
results.
A difficult task and requires a high degree of skill and
experience.
09/30/2021 9
1.3 Definition of Some Basic terms
09/30/2021 11
Cont...
Sampling: The process or method of sample selection from the
population.
Sample size: The number of elements or observation to be
included in the sample.
variable is a characteristic or attribute that can assume different
values in different persons, places, or things.
Some examples of variables include:
Diastolic blood pressure,
heart rate, heights,
The weights
Data: Refers to a collection of facts, values, observations, or
measurements that the variables can assume.
09/30/2021 12
Uses of statistics:
09/30/2021 13
Limitations of statistics
Deals with only aggregate of facts and not with individual data
items.
Statistical data are only approximately and not mathematical
correct.
Statistics can be easily misused and therefore should be used
be experts.
09/30/2021 14
1.5 Types of Variables and Measurement Scales
A variable is a characteristic or attribute that can assume
different values in different persons, places, or things.
Examples :
age,
diastolic blood pressure,
heart rate,
the height of adult males,
the weights of preschool children,
gender of Biostatistics students,
marital status of instructors at University of Gondar,
ethnic group of patients
09/30/2021 15
A. Depending on the characteristic of the measurement, variable can be:
Qualitative(Categorical) variable
A variable or characteristic which cannot be measured in
quantitative form but can only be identified by name or categories,
for instance place of birth, ethnic group, type of drug, stages of
breast cancer (I, II, III, or IV), degree of pain (minimal, moderate,
sever or unbearable).
The categories should be clear cut, not overlapping, and cover all the
possibilities. For example, sex (male or female), vital status (alive or
dead), disease stage (depends on disease), ever smoked (yes or no).
09/30/2021 16
Quantitative(Numerical) variable:
is one that can be measured and expressed numerically.
Example: survival time, systolic blood pressure, number of
children in a family, height, age, body mass index.
they can be of two types
Discrete Variables
Have a set of possible values that is either finite or
countabl infinite.
The values of a discrete variable are usually whole
numbers.
Numerical discrete data occur when the observations are
integers that correspond with a count of some sort.
09/30/2021 17
Some common examples are:
Number of pregnancies,
The number of bacteria colonies on a plate,
The number of cells within a prescribed area upon microscopic
examination,
The number of heart beats within a specified time interval,
A mother’s history of numbers of births ( parity) and
pregnancies
The number of episode of illness a patient experiences during
some time period, etc.
09/30/2021 18
Continuous Variables
09/30/2021 19
Con…
Observations are not restricted to take on certain numerical
values: Often measurements (e.g., height, weight, age).
Continuous data are used to report a measurement of the
individual that can take on any value within an acceptable
range.
09/30/2021 20
Nominal Scale
Other Examples
Sex Social status
Marital status Days of the week (months)
Geographic location Seasons
Ethnic group Types of restaurants
Brand choice Religion
Job type : executive, technical, clerical
Coded as “0”
09/30/2021 Coded as “1” 22
Ordinal Scale
Level of measurement which classifies data into categories that can be
ranked. Differences between the ranks do not exist.
09/30/2021 23
Ordinal Scales
09/30/2021 24
Interval Scales
• Level of measurement which classifies data that can be ranked
and differences are meaningful. However, there is no meaningful
zero, so ratios are meaningless.
• All arithmetic operations except division are applicable.
• Relational operations are also possible.
Examples:
IQ
Temperature in oF.
09/30/2021 25
Interval Scale
Numerically equal distances on the scale represent equal values in
the characteristic being measured. An interval scale contains all the
information of an ordinal scale, but it also allows you to compare the
differences between objects.
assumes that the measurements are made in equal units.
i.e. gaps between whole numbers on the scale are equal.
e.g. Fahrenheit and Celsius temperature scales
an interval scale does not have a true zero.
e.g. A temperature of "zero" does not mean that there
is no temperature...it is just an arbitrary zero point.
permissible statistics: count/frequencies, mode, median,
mean,
09/30/2021
standard deviation 26
Ratio Scales
09/30/2021 27
Primary Scales of Measurement
Nominal Numbers
assigned to 4 81 9
runners
Gender Height
Grade(A, B, C, D and F ) Weight
Rating scale(poor, good, excelent) Time
Eye colour Age
Political affilation IQ
Temprature
Religious affilation
Salary
Ranking of tennis players
Majour field
Nationality
09/30/2021 30