Statistics for the Health Sciences : A Non-Mathematical Introduction

by Christine Dancey

• ISBN13: 9781849203357
• ISBN10: 1849203350
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2012-04-01
• Publisher: SAGE Publications Ltd

Summary

This is a highly accessible textbook on understanding statistics for the health sciences, both conceptually and via SPSS. The authors give clear explanations of the concepts underlying statistical analyzes and descriptions of how these analyzes are applied in health sciences research without complex statistical formulae. The book takes students from the basics of research design, hypothesis testing, and descriptive statistical techniques through to more advanced inferential statistical tests that health sciences students are likely to encounter. Exercises and tips throughout the book allow students to practice using SPSS.

Table of Contents

An Introduction to the Research Process

an Introduction to The Research Process

Overview

The Research Process

Concepts and Variables

Levels of measurement

Hypothesis-Testing

Evidence-Based Practice

Research Designs

Multiple Choice Questions

Computer-Assisted Analysis

Overview of the Three Statistical Packages

Introduction to SPSS

Setting out Your Variable for within - and between - Group Designs.

Introduction to R

Introduction to SAS

Summary

Descriptive Statistics

Descriptive Statistics

Numerical Descriptive Statistics

Choosing a Measure of Central Tendency

Measures of Variation or Dispersion

Deviations from the Mean

Numerical Descriptives in SPSS

Frequencies

Graphical Statistics

Bar Charts

Line Graphs

Incorporating Variability into Graphs

Generating Graphs with Standard Deviations in SPSS

Graphs Showing Dispersion - Frequency Histogram

Box-Plots

Multiple Choice Questions

The Basis of Statistical Testing

Overview

Introduction

Samples and Populations

Distributions

Statistical Significance

Criticisms of NHST

Summary

MCQs

Epidemiology

Overview

Introduction

Estimating the Prevalence of Disease

Difficulties in Estimating Prevalence

Beyond Prevalence: Identifying Risk Factors for Disease

Risk Ratios

The Odds-Ratio

Establishing Causality

Case-Control Studies

Cohort Studies

Experimental Designs

Summary

Multiple Choice Questions

Introduction to Data Screening and Cleaning

Overview

Introduction

Minimising Problems at the Design Stage

Entering Data into Databases/Statistical Packages

Accuracy

Using Descriptive Statistics to Help Identify Errors

Missing Data

Spotting Missing Data

Normality

Reporting Data Screening and Cleaning Procedures

Summary

Multiple Choice Questions

Differences Between Two Groups

Overview

Introduction

Conceptual Description of the T-Tests

Generalising to the Population

Cohen's d

Paired-T Test in SPSS

Non-Parametric Tests

Mann-Whitney: for Independent Groups

Mann Whitney test in SPSS

Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test: For Repeated Measures

Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test in SPSS

Adjusting for Multiple Tests

Summary

Multiple Choice questions

Differences Between Three or More Conditions

Overview

Introduction

Conceptual Description of the (Parametric) ANOVA

One-Way ANOVA

One-way ANOVA in SPSS

ANOVA Models for Repeated-Measures Designs

Repeated Measures ANOVA in SPSS

Non-parametric Equivalents

The Kruskal-Wallis Test

Kruskal-Wallis and the Median Test in SPSS

The Median Test

Friedman's ANOVA for Repeated Measures

Friedman's ANOVA in SPSS

Summary

Multiple Choice Questions

Testing Associations Between Categorical Variables

Overview

Introduction

Rationale of Contingency Table Analysis

Running the Analysis in SPSS

Measuring Effect Size in Contingency Table Analysis

Larger Contingency Tables

Contingency Table Analysis Assumptions

The X2 Goodness of Fit Test

Running the X2 Goodness of Fit Test Using SPSS

Summary

Multiple Choice Questions

Measuring Agreement: Correlational Techniques

Overview

Introduction

Bivariate Relationships

Perfect Correlations

Calculating the Correlation Pearson's R Using SPSS.

How to obtain scatterplots

Variance Explanation of R

Partial Correlations

Spearman's Rho

Other uses for Correlational Techniques

Reliability of Measures

Internal Consistency

Inter Rater Reliability

Validity

Percentage Agreement

Cohen's Kappa

Summary

Multiple Choice Questions

Linear Regression

Overview

Introduction

Linear Regression in SPSS

Assumptions underlying linear regression

Dealing with Outliers

What happens if the Correlation Between X and Y is Near Zero?

Using Regression to Predict Missing Data in SPSS

Summary

Multiple Choice Questions

Standard Multiple Regression

Overview

Introduction

Multiple Regression in SPSS

Variables in the Equation

The Regression Equation

Predicting an Individual's Score

Hypothesis Testing

Other Types of Multiple Regression

Hierarchical Multiple Regression

Summary

Multiple Choice Questions

Logistic Regression

Overview

Introduction

The Conceptual Basis of Logistic Regression

Logistic Regression with Multiple Predictor Variables

Logistic Regression with Categorical Predictors

Categorical Predictors with Three or More Levels

Summary

Multiple Choice Questions

Interventions and Analysis of Change

Overview

Interventions

How do we Know Whether Interventions are Effective?

Randomised Control Trials (RCTs)

Designing an Rct: Consort

The Consort Flow Chart

Important Features of an Rct

Blinding

Analysis of RCTs

Running an Ancova in SPSS

McNemar's Test of Change

Running McNemar's Test in SPSS

The Sign Test

Running the Sign Test using SPSS

Intention to Treat Analysis

Crossover Designs

Single Case Designs (N= 1)

Generating Single Case Design Graphs Using SPSS

Summary

MCQs

Survival Analysis: an Introduction

Overview

Introduction

Survival Curves

The Kaplan-Meier Survival Function

Kaplan-Meier Survival Analyses in SPSS

Comparing Two Survival Curves - the Mantel-Cox test

Mantel-Cox using SPSS

Hazard

Hazard Curves

Hazard Functions in SPSS

Summary

Multiple Choice Questions

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