Introduction to Biostatistics

Department of Epidemiology and Biostaistics

Alemakef Wagnew M.(Bsc. in statistics and MPH)

September 25, 2019

introduction to Biostatistics
Course objective:

I Definition and classification of Statistics

I Stages in statistical investigation
I Definition of Some Basic terms
I Applications, uses and limitations of Statistics
I Types of variables and measurement scales
Chapter one: Introduction
Definition and classification of Biostatistics
Biostatistics is a growing field with applications in many areas of
biology including epidemiology, medical sciences, health sciences,
educational research and environmental sciences.
Introduction
concern of Biostatistics
Applied Statistics: the application of statistical methods to solve
real problems involving randomly generated data and the
development of new statistical methodology motivated by real
problems.
Biostatistics is the branch of applied statistics directed toward
applications in the health sciences and biology.
Biostatistics: The tools of statistics are employed in many fields -
business, education, psychology, agriculture, and economics, to
mention only few. When the data being analyzed are derived from
the public health data, biological sciences and medicine, we use the
term biostatistics to distinguish this particular application of
statistical tools and concepts.
Introduction
classification of Biostatistics
Descriptive statistics: A statistical method that is concerned with
the collection, organization, summarization, and analysis of data
from a sample of population.
Inferential statistics A statistical method that is concerned with
the drawing conclusions/infering about a particular population by
selecting and measuring a random sample from the population.
introduction
Descriptive Statistics

Descriptive Statistics

Statistical procedures used to summarise, organise, and simplify

data. This process should be carried out in such a way that reflects
overall findings.
I Raw data is made more manageable
I Raw data is presented in a logical form
I Patterns can be seen from organized data
descriptive statistics
 Some statistical summaries which are especially common in
descriptive analyses are:
I Measures of central tendency
I Measures of dispersion
I Measures of association
I Cross-tabulation, contingency table
I Histogram
I Quantile, Q-Q plot
I Scatter plot
I Box plot
Inferential Statistics
 This branch of statistics deals with techniques of making
conclusions about the population
 Inferential statistics builds upon descriptive statistics
 The inferences are drawn from particular properties of sample
to particular properties of population
 Inferential statistics are used to make generalizations from a
sample to a population.
 They encompasses a variety of procedures to ensure that the
inferences are sound and rational, even though they may not
always be correct
Inferential statistics
 In short, inferential statistics enables us to make confident
decisions in the face of uncertainty

I E.g. Antibiotics reduce the duration of viral throat infections by

1-2 days

I Five percent of women aged 30-49 consult their GP each year

with heavy menstrual bleeding
Statistical Methods
1.2 Stages in statistical investigation
There are five stages or steps in any statistical investigation
1. Collection of data
I The process of obtaining measurements or counts.
2. Organization of data
I Includes editing, classifying, and tabulating the data collected
3. Presentation of data
I overall view of what the data actually looks like
I facilitate further statistical analysis
I Can be done in the form of tables and graphs or diagrams
4. Analysis of data
I To dig out useful information for decision making
I It involves extracting relevant information from the data (like
mean, median, mode, range, variance. . . )
5. Interpretation of data
I Concerned with drawing conclusions from the data collected
and analyzed; and giving meaning to analysis results
I A difficult task and requires a high degree of skill and experience
definitions of Some basic terms
 Population
 Census
 Sample
 Parameter
 Statistic, Statistics
 Sampling
 sample size
 Variable
 Data
1.3 Definition of Some basic terms
Population:is the complete set of possible measurements for which
inferences are to be made.

Census:a complete enumeration of the population. But in most real

problems it cannot be realized, hence we take sample.

Sample: A sample from a population is the set of measurements

that are actually collected in the course of an investigation.

Parameter:Characteristic or measure obtained from a population.

Statistic:A statistic refers to a numerical quantity computed from

sample data (e.g. the mean, the median, the maximum...).

Data:Refers to a collection of facts, values, observations, or

measurements that the variables can assume.
1.3 Definitions of Some basic terms
Statistics: is a branch of mathematics dealing with data collection,
organization, analysis, interpretation and presentation.

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:It is an item of interest that can take on many different

numerical values.
 Some examples of variables include:
I Diastolic blood pressure,
I heart rate, heights,
I The weights,
I Stage of bladder cancer patients,
1.4 Applications, Uses and Limitations of statistics.
Applications of Statistics

I In almost all fields of human endeavor

I Almost all human beings in their daily life are subjected to

obtaining numerical facts e.g. abut price.

I Applicable in some process e.g. invention of certain drugs,

extent of environmental pollution.

I In industries especially in quality control area

Uses of Statistics
The main function of statistics is to enlarge our knowledge of
complex phenomena. The following are some uses of
statistics:
i It presents facts in a definite and precise form.
ii Data reduction.
iii Measuring the magnitude of variations in data.
iv Furnishes a technique of comparison.
v Estimating unknown population characteristics.
vi Testing and formulating of hypothesis.
vii Studying the relationship between two or more variable.
viii Forecasting future events
Limitations of statistics
As a science statistics has its own limitations. The following
are some of the limitations:
I Deals with only quantitative information.

II Deals with only aggregate of facts and not with individual data
items.

III Statistical data are only approximately and not mathematical

correct.

IV Statistics can be easily misused and therefore should be used

be experts
1.5 Types of Variables and Measurement Scales
variable
A variable is a characteristic or attribute that can assume different
values in different persons, places, or things.

Example:
I Age,
I Diastolic blood pressure,
I Heart rate,
I The height of adult males,
I The weights of preschool children,
I Gender of Biostatistics students,
I Marital status of instructors at University of Gondar,
I Ethnic group of patients
Types of Variables 2
A. Depending on the characteristic of the measurement,
variable can be:
1. Qualitative(Categorical) variable
I A variable or characteristic which cannot be measured in
quantitative form but can only be identified by name or
categories,
I 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).
I 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).
Types of Variables 3
A. Depending on the characteristic of the measurement,
variable can be:
2. Quantitative(Numerical) variable:
I is one that can be measured and expressed numerically.
Example:
I survival time
I systolic blood pressure
I number of children in a family
I height, age, body mass index.
Types of Variables 4
A. Depending on the characteristic of the measurement,
variable can be:
They can be of two types
1. Discrete Variables
I Have a set of possible values that is either finite or countably
infinite.
I The values of a discrete variable are usually whole numbers.
I Numerical discrete data occur when the observations are
integers that correspond with a count of some sort
2. continuous variables
I A continuous variable has a set of possible values including all
values in an interval of the real line.
I No gaps between possible values.
I Each observation theoretically falls somewhere along a
continuum
Types of variables 5
Examples of discrete variables
I Number of pregnancies,
I The number of bacteria colonies on a plate,
I The number of cells within a prescribed area upon microscopic
examination,
I The number of heart beats within a specified time interval,
I A mother’s history of numbers of births ( parity) and
pregnancies (gravidity),
I The number of episodes of illness a patient experiences during
some time period, etc.
Types of Variables 6
Examples of Continuous variables
I Body mass index
I Height
I Blood pressure
I Serum cholesterol level
I Weigh,
I Age etc...
 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
Types of Variables 6
B. On the basis of Scales of measurement:
There are four types of measurement scales:
1. Nominal scales of measurement

I Only ”naming” and classifying observations is possible. When

numbers are assigned to categories, it is only for coding
purposes and it does not provide a sense of size Example:

I Sex of a person (M, F)

I eye color (e.g. brown, blue)
I religion (Muslim, Christian)
I place of residence (urban, rural) etc
Types of Variables 7
B. On the basis of scale of Measurement
2.Ordinal Scales of Measurement
 Categorization and ranking (ordering) observations is possible
I We can talk of greater than or less than and it conveys meaning
to the value but;
I Impossible to express the real difference between measurements
in numerical terms

Example:
I Socio-economic status (very low, low, medium, high, very high)
I severity(mild, moderate, sever)
I blood pressure (very low, low, high, very high) etc.
Types of variables 8
B. On the basis of scale of Measurement
3.Interval Scales of Measurement
I Possible to categorize, rank and tell the real distance between
any two measurements
I Zero is not absolute
Example:
I Body temperature in degree F. and Celsius (measured in
degrees).

I It is a meaningful difference
Types of variables 9
B. On the basis of scale of Measurement
4.Ratio scales of Measurement

I he highest level of measurement scale, characterized by the fact

that equality of ratios as well as equality of intervals can be
determined
I There is a true zero point. i.e. zero is absolute Example:

I volume
I height
I weight
I length
I time until death, etc...
Types of Variables 10
Types of Variables 11
C. On the basis of source of data
1. Primary Data:
I Data generated for the first time primarily/originally for the
study in question
I It needs the involvement of the researcher himself. Census and
sample survey are sources of primary types of data

2. secondary Data:
I Obtained from other pre-existing/ priorly collected sources
I In this case data were obtained from already collected sources
like newspaper, magazines, DHS, hospital records and existing
data like:
I Mortality reports
I Morbidity reports
I Epidemic reports
I Reports of laboratory utilization (including laboratory test
results)
Primary scale of Measurements
Statistics
Exercise 1
The following are list of different attributes/ variables or
data. Classify the variables/data in to different measurement
scales
1. Your checking account number as a name for your account.
2. Your score on Bio-statistics test as a measure of your
knowledge of Bios-tatistics.
3. A response to the statement ”Abortion is a woman’s right”
where ”Strongly Disagree” = 1, ”Disagree” = 2, ”No Opinion”
= 3, ”Agree” = 4, and ”Strongly Agree” = 5, as a measure of
attitude toward abortion.
4. Times for swimmers to complete a 50-meter race
5. Months of the year as September, October. . .
6. Economic status of a family when classified as low, middle and
upper classes.
7. Blood type of individuals as A, B, AB and O.
8. Regions of Ethiopia as region 1, region 2, region 3. . .
Assignment One
Categorize the following variables into nominal, ordinal,
interval or ratio
I Gender
I Grade(A, B, C, D and F )
I Rating scale(poor, good, excellent)
I Eye color
I Political affiliation
I Religious affiliation
I Ranking of tennis players
I Major field
I Nationality
I Height
I Weight
I Time
I Age
I IQ
I Temperature
I Salary