Statistics as a Resource in Medical Research (eBook)

This book aims to provide a comprehensive and effective overview of the practical applications of statistics in the realm of healthcare. The primary goal of this book is to furnish readers, particularly medical researchers, and practitioners, with a deep understanding of statistical methods that find utility in healthcare scenarios. The document achieves this by meticulously detailing various statistical techniques and bolstering comprehension through illustrative case studies. These case studies serve as a critical component, allowing readers to delve into the intricacies of each applied technique. The analyses not only elucidate the appropriateness of the methodology but also elucidate the interpretation of results and the soundness of conclusions drawn. To enhance learning, the book presents practical activities that challenge learners to tackle related situations, along with solutions that utilize the powerful and free software, RStudio. The book thoughtfully provides explanations on employing this software and includes the requisite code for resolving each practical scenario. Intended for those who possess a foundational understanding of statistics but seek a deeper grasp of its application in healthcare, the book fills a crucial knowledge gap. While targeted primarily at medical researchers and practitioners, its content and methodologies hold relevance for undergraduates, graduates, and professionals in health sciences. The book commences with a historical overview of statistical methods in public health research and introduces readers to R, an open-source programming language and statistical computing environment. Subsequent chapters explore the design and interpretation of clinical trials, touching on their advantages, limitations, and even delving into Bayesian methods. The discussion extends to the observation and description of specific events in a population using numeric and graphic methods in the context of descriptive statistics. The book also delves into inferential statistics, the assessment of risk, and the identification of prognostic factors, all vital components of modern patient management and decision-making. Epidemiological tools, including spatial data analysis, are expounded upon in the context of health practice. Additionally, survival analysis, a pertinent methodology for investigating event occurrences, is thoroughly examined. Readers are guided through key concepts and practical applications of survival analysis methods in a dedicated chapter. The document culminates with a comprehensive bibliography and a compilation of referenced articles.