06-Mar-22

Data description
(descriptive statistics)

Magdy Ibrahim Mostafa

Prof. Obstetrics & Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University
Director; Research, Biostatistics & IT Units, MEDC, Cairo University
Management member; EBM Unit, MEDC, Cairo University
Scientific Council Member, Egyptian IT Fellowship
Board Member, Egyptian Ob/Gyn Fellowship
Associate Editor; Kasr Al Aini Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Peer Reviewer; Gyn Endocrin J, Gyn Oncol J, Obstet Gynecol Invest Journal
Peer Reviewer; Cairo University Medical Journal, Kasr El Aini Medical Journal, MEFS Journal.y

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Data
(results of observations)

Quantitative Qualitative

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Descriptive Statistics
The aim of data description is to summarize
large amounts of data using a few meaningful numbers

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Description of nominal data

1- Frequency distributions:

Number of occurrence of a
particular value in a set of data

Method No.
Abstinence 14

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Description of nominal data

2- Proportion: Frequency ÷ Total = Part ÷ All

Standardise data, making it easier to compare data

3- Percentage:

Proportion × 100

Not suitable when the total is less than 30

4- Ratio: Part ÷ Part

5- Rate: Frequency over period of time

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Blood
Frequency Proportion Percent Ratio to A
group

A 10 0.1 10% 1

B 20 0.2 20% 2

AB 30 0.3 30% 3

O 40 0.4 40% 4

Total 100 1 100% 10

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Description of nominal data

Sex Number Percent Age group Frequency

Males 11 61.1 25 - 2
Females 7 38.9 30 - 5
Total 18 100.0 35 - 3
40 - 5
45 - 2
50 - 0
55 - 1
Total 18

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Description of nominal data

Cumulative
Complication Frequency Percent Valid percent
percent

Pain 5/100 5% 5.6%

Bleeding 8/100 8% 8.9% 14.5%

Infection 7/100 7% 7.8% 22.3%

Dehiscence 2/100 2% 2.2% 24.5%

Unknown 10/100 10%

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Measures of central location

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Measures of Central location

1- The arithmetic mean (Mean)

It is the sum of values (x) divided by the number of observations (n)

It is most suitable for normally distributed quantitative data

2- The median:

It is the middle value of a ranked array

It divides the data array into 2 equal parts

It is of special importance in ordinal data and quantitative data with non
uniform values (outliers)

3- The mode: The most frequently repeated value in a data array

4- The mid range: (min + max) ÷ 2
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Arithmetic mean: Example

Data: 10, 4, 6, 2 and 8 years children

Sum = 10 + 4 + 6 + 2 + 8 = 30 years

n=5

Mean = 30 ÷ 5 = 6 years

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The median: Example

Data: 10 , 4 , 6 , 2 , 8

Arrange: 2 , 4 , 6 , 8 , 10

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The median: Example

Data: 10 , 4 , 6 , 2 , 8

Arrange: 2 , 4 , 6 , 8 , 10

Median =

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The median: Example

Data: 10, 4, 6, 2, 8, 12

Arrange: 2, 4, 6 , 8, 10, 12

Median = (6+8) ÷ 2 = 7

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The mode: Example

Data: 10,4,6,2,8,7,12
 Mode = None

Data: 1,2,2,2,3,7,5,6,4,4
Mode = 2 (unimodal)

Data: 1,2,2,2,3,6,5,6,4,4,4
Mode = 2 and 4 (bimodal)

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Measures of Dispersion

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0 0
1 24
2 24
5 25
6 25
25 25
25 25
29 26
32 28
41 28
94 30
Mean 26 26
Median 25 25
Thus, central tendency measures
can’t alone describe the data
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Measures of Dispersion
1- Range (maximum and minimum):

The difference between the maximum and minimum values

Suitable with the median

2- Centiles:

Quartiles

Deciles

Percentiles

Suitable with median

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Measures of Dispersion
a- Interquartile range (IQR):

It represents the range including the 2nd & 3rd quartiles

It represents the middle ½ of data

It excludes ¼ of the data at each extremity

Represents the range between the 25th & 75th percentiles

Suitable to exclude extreme values from description

b- Interdecile range (IDR): The range from the 10th & 90th percentiles

c- The reference interval (reference range, normal range):

The range from the 3rd & 97th percentiles

If sample is large, it coincides with the mean ± 2SD

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Min Max

Arrange ascending
IQR

1/4 1/4 1/4 1/4

IDR

1/10 8/10 1/10

2.5%

2.5%
95%
Reference or normal range

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IQR

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

IDR

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Reference range

1 100

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Measures of Dispersion
3- Variance:

It is the mean squared deviation around the mean

It is not practical because the deviation is squared

The unit of the variance is the squared unit of the original data

4- Standard deviation (SD):

It is the square root of the variance (more practical than variance)

Represents the mean deviation around the mean

The more the SD the more the dispersion and vice versa

More sensitive than the range (affected by every value)

With ↑ sample size, SD (&variance) don’t change, but with larger
sample, more accurate measure occurs so may change

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Measures of Dispersion
Example:

Data: 10, 4, 6, 2 and 8 years old children

Mean = 30 ÷ 5 = 6 years

Differences from mean = -4, 2, 0, 4 and -2 years

Squared differences = 16, 4, 0, 16 and 4 years2

Sum of squared differences = 40 years2

Variance = 40 ÷ 4 = 10 years2

SD = = 3.16

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Measures of Dispersion
5- Coefficient of variation (CV):

It is the parentage of SD : mean ratio (SD  mean  100).

Nullifying the effect of differences in measurement units

Useful to compare 2 sets of data with different units

Useful to compare 2 sets of data with equal SD but different means

Example:

In IU/L = 316±120 In mmol/L = 7±4
CV = 38% CV = 57%
Example:

In IU/L = 316±120 In mmol/L = 190±120
CV = 38% CV = 63%

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Measures of Dispersion
6- Standard error:

It describes the variation in sample statistic if repeated

It describes the sample – to – sample variation

Thus it is considered the standard deviation of a statistical estimate

It measures the accuracy and reliability of the statistic

SEM = SD ÷

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Interpretation

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Summary of data description

Normal Mean ± SD

Quantitative
Non-normal Median + Range
(Centiles)

Ordinal

Qualitative
Nominal Frequency

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