BIOSTATISTICS

* Statistics

Is the science of collecting, organizing, summarizing, analyzing, interpreting,

and presenting data/ information and using them to test hypothesis.
Is ubiquitous (present everywhere at the same time).

About every activity on earth general and use statistics.

So much statistical information has been established and known about the
world in which we live.
As a result our lives involve daily transactions revolving around some use of
statistical information collected data or numerical information cannot speak for itself-it
needs to be organized, evaluated, analysed and interpreted.
Without a good understanding of the principles of statistics, we would not be
able to make sense of the mountain of information or data gathered.
* Biostatistics
Is a portmantean word (sound and meaning of two other words are
combined biology and statistics.
bio- means life
Is the application of statistics to a wide range of topics in biology.
Is sometimes referred to as biometry or biometrics.

* Medical Biostatistics
Biostatistics has a central role in medical investigation due to the following reasons:
a. It provides a way of organizing information on a wider and more formal basis
than relying on exchange of anecdotes and personal experiences.
b. More and more things are now measured quantitatively in medicines.
c. There is a great deal of intrinsic variation in most biological processes.
* Therefore, Statistics/ Bio statistical methods are needed in the interpretation of data
in the presence of variation.

* Phenomenon of Variation
-is the tendency of a measurable characteristic, to change from one individual
or setting to another, or from one instant of time to another instant within the same
individual or setting.

Example:
1. Blood Pressure
- varies in individual to individual
- varies also in the same person from day to day, hour to hour, etc.
2. Morbidity associated with a particular stressful occupation
 - is the average blood pressure which is higher than the general
population due to chance variation or it represents a real indications of an
occupational health risks?

Variability can also arise through the random operations of chance within a population.
- Individuals do not all react in the same way to a given stimulus.

Example:
1. Smoking and drinking are bad for health.
> We may hear that a heavy smoker and drinker lives to a healthy old age; while
a non- smoker and non- drinker may die young.
> This is an illustration of the random operation of chance.
2. Evaluation of a new vaccine.
Individuals vary in their response and in their susceptibility and
exposure to disease
-some of the unvaccinated individuals may escape infection.
-a number of vaccinated individuals may contract the disease.

What can be concluded if the percentage of people free from the disease is greater among the
vaccinated group?
- is the vaccine effective?
- is it due to chance?
- is there a bias in the way people are selected?
(Samples have different ages and social class that the risk of contracting the disease was in any
case lower?)
* Application of statistical methods of analysis may solve the first two possibilities,
while choice of appropriate design in the conduct of the study will address to the third
possibility.

* Scope of Biostatistics
Biostatistics encompasses the following:
- Designs of biological experiments especially in medicine
- Collection & summarization of data, presentation and analysis of the data
from the experiment
- Interpretation of, and inference from, the results.

*Why bother to study Medical Biostatistics?

 The practice of modern medicine is based an high quality evidence derived
from research. Statistics are fundamental to expressing and understanding the results of
medical research.

*Uses of Biostatistics in Medicine

1. Application of study results to patient care.
-best diagnostic procedure
-methods of treatment
>treatment regimen
>design and implementation
2. To address epidemiologic problems
-provide a guide in the diagnosis and management plan
-assist government and other stakeholders to make informed decisions on the
allocation of health resources.
3. Integration of information about drugs and equipments.
4. Use of diagnostic procedures
- Information about the sensitivity and specificity of a diagnostic test.
5. Evaluation of study protocols and articles
6. Participation in or directing research projects.

Biostatistics in Public Health

- Epidemiology
- Health Services
- Research
- Nutrition
- Environmental Health

Data needed as basis for planning, monitoring and evaluation of health programs and
services
-Vital Statistics
>population
>births
>marriage
>death
>illness
-causes
-prevalence
-incidence
-Hospital/Clinic Statistics
-admission & discharges
-Bed occupancy
 - Length of hospitalization
- Courses of hospitalization
- Health Services
- Number of children immunized
- Number of FP acceptors/users

Biostatistics in Research
- Design and analysis of clinical trials in medicine.

Summary:
1. Collection of Data (Data Gathering)
> Interview
> Questionnaires
> Tests/observations
> Records/registration
> Experiments

2. Presentation of collected data

> Tabular
> Graphical
> Charts
> Textual (paragraphs)

3. Analysis and interpretation of results

> The process of extracting from the given data relevant and noteworthy
information.
> Using statistical tools and techniques.

4. Making decisions on the basis of such analysis

> Interpretation of data.
> Drawing of conclusion or inference from the analysed data.
> Formulation of forecast/prediction from large population based on the small
data (sample).

**Statistical Analysis in a Single Experiment

1. Define the population of interest.
2. Randomly select samples of subjects to study (clinical trials do not enrol randomly
selected patients due to the inclusion/exclusion criteria, but define a precise patient
population)
 3. Half of the subjects receive one treatment and the other half treatment (morally a
placebo).
4. Measure baseline variables in each group.
5. Measure trial outcome variables in each group.
6. Use statistical techniques to make inference about the distribution of the variables in
the general population and about the effect of the treatment.

Variables

Category Quantity

Nominal Ordinal Discrete Continuous

(counting) (measuring)

Ordered Categories Ranks

Two (2) Methods of Data Analysis

1. Descriptive
2. Inferential