Healthcare Statistics
Helpm31990
9781284108217_CH01_SLID.pptChapter 1
Introduction
Learning Objectives (1 of 2)
- Define biostatistical applications and their objectives
- Explain the limitations of biostatistical analysis
- Compare and contrast a population and a sample
- Explain the importance of random sampling
Learning Objectives (2 of 2)
- Develop research questions and select appropriate outcome variables to address important public health problems
- Identify the general principles and explain the role and importance of biostatostistical analysis in medical, public health, and biological research
What Is Biostatistics? (1 of 2)
- Application of statistical principles to medical, public health, and biological applications
- Collecting, summarizing, and interpreting information and
- Making inferences that appropriately account for uncertainty
What Is Biostatistics? (2 of 2)
Population
(unknown information)
Sample
- Summarize sample
- Make inferences about Population
Issues and Limitations (1 of 2)
- Must clearly define research question
- Must choose appropriate study design (i.e., the way in which data are collected)
- Must select a sufficiently large, representative sample
- Must carefully collect and summarize data
Issues and Limitations (2 of 2)
- Must quantify uncertainty
- Must appropriately account for relationships among characteristics
- Must limit inferences to appropriate population
Important Questions
- H1N1 outbreak
- Risk factors for heart disease
- Drug safety and efficacy
- High-risk health behaviors
- Genetic determinants of disease
- Risk factors for autism
- Impact of diet and exercise on health
- Impact of Gulf oil spill on health
Issues for Biostatisticians (1 of 2)
- Children: Obesity, immunizations, asthma, autism, etc.
- Adolescents: Alcohol and tobacco use, depression, STDs, traffic accidents, etc.
- Adults: Cancer, CVD, substance abuse, HIV/AIDS, mental health, etc.
- What is number one killer of men and women in United States?
- What are the risk factors?
Issues for Biostatisticians (2 of 2)
- Research question
- Study sample
- Sample size
- Analytic techniques
- Inferences—cause/effect
- Limitations
Types of Studies
- Laboratory studies
- Animal studies
- Clinical studies
- Observational studies
- Experimental trials
Research Teams
- Principal investigator
- Biostatistician
- Co-investigators
- Project manager
- Statistical programmers
- Research assistants
Biostatistician’s Role on Team
- Study design
- Research question
- Study sample
- Sample size
- Enrollment/follow-up strategies
- Ongoing monitoring
- Interim and final analysis
- Reporting of results
Careers
- Pharmaceutical industry
- Government
- Academia
- Health insurance
Demand far exceeds supply of qualified biostatisticians today.
Training/Skills
- Mathematics background
- Biostatistics/statistics
- Public health/biology
- Computer skills
- Communication skills
- Analytic skills
- Organizational skills
- Attention to detail
