Statisti
cs
Course Objectives
By the end of the course, the students will be able to:
a. Explain the basic terminologies
[Link] the types of statistics
c. Interpret simple statistical data
[Link] statistical methods to analyze data
Definition of Terms.
Statistics is the science of collecting, organizing, presenting, analyzing and
interpreting data for decision making.
Data Collection: i.e. collection of numbers (observations and measurements), by:
• Consulting existing documents e.g. births and deaths registers, hospital records
such as patient attendance, morbidity registers, e.t.c
• Using survey methods to collect data from individuals, populations, organisations
• Conducting scientific experiments (clinical trials) and
• Direct measurements such as vital signs (temperature, BP/pulse), height, birth-
weight
• Data Presentation: Description of the collected numbers to permit meaningful
analysis and interpretation i.e. arrange, categorise data into tables, draw charts
e.t.c.
• Data Analysis: Compare results and determine relationships among variables,
among dependent and independent variables e.t.c
• Data Interpretation: Provide meaning to results, make inferences, predictions,
suggestions and draw conclusions
• Make decisions: Determine solutions or interventions eg. Recommendations
• Statistics is a form of mathematical analysis that uses quantified models,
representations and synopses for given set of experimental data or real life studies.
• Biostatistics refers to the collection, organizing, analysis and interpretation of
data collected from biological, biomedical, and health related activities for
decision making the data are derived from biological sciences and medicine.
Everything that deals even remotely with the collection, processing, interpretation
and presentation of data belongs to the domain of statistics.
• Population – Population is a group of people living in an area, place, country etc.
or is any group of individuals that have one or more characteristics in common,
that are of interest to the researchers or It’s the collection of all possible
observations of a specific characteristic of interest.
An example is all the students in RGN 21 or RM 21 in this semester.
• Sample: is a group of elements selected from a population i.e. it is a subset or
segment of a population. A sample must have the same characteristics as
population.
• Units: the individuals in the population
• Variable: A variable is an item of interest that can take on many different
numerical values
• Data refer to description of things, observations, events, activities that are
recorded or measured, and stored but not organized to convey any specific
meaning.
• Data is the raw material of statistics
USES\ IMPORTANCE OF STATISTICS
• Medical and Nursing Research -Statistical methods forms the basis for performing
research.
• Statistical models including t-test, Chi-square test, ANOVA, Regression, are used
in medical journals to report findings
• Understanding the principles of statistics enables you to critically evaluate
research studies
• it provides a scientific method for studying our patients and our general health
status of communities
Nursing Practice
• It helps in the administration of drugs
• I t helps nurses to make good judgement eg. Triaging
• It helps to analyze the trend in vital signs
• It helps to follow a pattern of diseases
Epidemiological studies
Are statistical methods used in epidemiological studies involving the frequency,
determinants, distribution, and control of diseases in human population
• Used to compute and report incidence and prevalence of diseases
• used to analyze case control studies
• Analyze geographic distribution of diseases
• Public Health Practice
• Statistical techniques are used to compute public health indicators to guide
decision making
• Design health policies based on the indicators
• to forecast trends of diseases in the population
• For the evaluation of health services to determine the extent to which goals and
objective are being achieved.
LIMITATION OF STATISTICS
1. Statistics is not suitable to the study of qualitative phenomenon
Since statistics is basically a science and deals with a set of numerical data, it is
applicable to the study of only these subjects of enquiry, which can be expressed in
terms of quantitative measurements.
• Statistical laws are not exact:
• It is well known that mathematical and physical sciences are exact.
• But statistical laws are not exact and statistical laws are only approximations.
• Statistical conclusions are not universally true. They are true only on an average.
2. Statistics table may be misused
• Statistics must be used only by experts; otherwise, statistical methods are the most
dangerous tools on the hands of the inexpert.
a. The use of statistical tools by the inexperienced and untraced persons might lead to
wrong conclusions.
3. Statistics can be easily misused by quoting wrong figures of data
b. Statistics is only, one of the methods of studying a problem:
c. Statistical methods do not provide complete solution of the problems because
problems are to be studied taking the background of the countries culture, philosophy
or religion into consideration.
d. Thus, the statistical study should be supplemented by other evidences.