Parametric and non- parametric tests part I assignment

1. An important hypothesis in hypertension research is that the sodium restriction may lower
blood pressure. However, it is difficult to achieve sodium restriction over long term, and
dietary counseling in a group setting is sometimes used to achieve this goal. The
investigators measure the urinary sodium excretion (mEq/8hr) from 30 subjects at baseline
and after 1 week of dietary counseling. At baseline, the mean and the standard deviation of
the sodium excretion are 17.75 mEq/8hr and 10.46 mEq/8hr, respectively. After one week,
the mean and the standard deviation of the sodium excretion are 16.1 mEq/8hr and 10.63,
respectively. The standard deviation of the difference is 10.22.
a. What is the value of the test statistic?
p value = 0.386
b. Using significance level of 0.05:
1) Do you reject or fail to reject the null hypothesis? Please also provide the CI of the
mean difference
=Fail to reject the null hypothesis with 95 % CI (-2.17;5.47)
2) What is your conclusion?
=There is no a significant mean difference of urinary sodium excretion at
baseline and after 1 week of dietary counseling (Mean difference = 1.65
mEq/8hr, 95% CI
(-2.17;5.47), p = 0.386)

2. The investigators want to compare cholesterol level of the children whose fathers have died
from heart disease versus the children whose fathers do not have a history of heart disease.
Suppose from 123 children whose fathers have died from heart disease, the observed mean
and standard deviation of the cholesterol level are 208.3 mg/dl and 37.6 mg/dl. Another 93
children whose fathers do not have a history of heart disease are also identified and the
observed mean and standard deviation of the cholesterol level are 192.4 mg/dl and 16.3
mg/dl. It is assumed that the variances of the two groups are not equal.
a. What is the value of the test statistic?
p = 0.00004
b. Using significance level of 0.05:
1) Do you reject or fail to reject the null hypothesis? Please also provide the CI of the
mean difference
= Reject null hyphothesis, 95% CI (8.42;23.38)
 2) What is your conclusion?
There is significant mean difference of cholesterol level of the children whose
fathers have died from heart disease and the children whose fathers do not have a
history of heart disease (Mean difference = 15.9 mg/dl , 95% CI (8.42;23.38), p =
0.00004)

3. One medical student wants to test a hypothesis that women with higher childhood
socioeconomic status (SES) have earlier age at menarche. Suppose she identifies 45 girls
with low childhood SES and 35 girls with high childhood SES and observes mean age at
menarche for girls with low and high childhood SES are 13.7 years with standard deviation
of 1.5 years and 12.5 years with standard deviation of 1.4 years, respectively. It is assumed
that the variances of the two groups are equal.
a. What is the value of the test statistic?
p = 0.000389 = 3.89 x 10-4
b. Using significance level of 0.05:
1) Do you reject or fail to reject the null hypothesis? Please also provide the CI of the
mean difference.
= Reject null hyphothesis, 95 % CI (0.56;1.85)
2) What is your conclusion?
There is significant mean difference of earlier age at menarche of girls with low
childhood SES and with high childhood SES. (Mean difference = 1.2 years, 95%
CI (0.56;1.85), p = 0.000389)

4. Suppose the investigator want to compare fasting serum-cholesterol levels among recent
immigrants to country N with typical levels found in the general population of country N.
Suppose it is assumed that the cholesterol levels in general population are approximately
normally distributed with mean 192 mg/dl. Blood test were performed on 120 immigrants,
and it was observed that the mean was 182.52 mg/dl, with standard deviation of 31 mg/dl.
a. What is the value of the test statistic?
p = 0.0011
b. Using significance level of 0.05:
1) Do you reject or fail to reject the null hypothesis? Please also provide the CI of the mean
difference.
=Reject null hyphotesis , 95 % CI (176.92;188.12)
2) What is your conclusion?
There is significant difference of fasting serum-cholesterol levels found in immigrants
and found in the general population of country N.