Sample Size Calculation
The sample size of this study was calculated as 40 based on the following parameters:
Confidence Interval: 95%
Margin of Error: 5%
Population Proportion: 50%
Population Size: 44
Final Sample Size: 40
Sample size is a statistical concept that involves determining the number of observations or
replicates that should be included in a statistical sample. It is an important aspect of any
empirical study requiring inferences to be made about a population based on a sample.
Essentially, sample sizes are used to represent parts of a population chosen for survey or
experiment.
To carry out this calculation, the margin of error (ε) was set as the maximum allowable
deviation of the sample estimate from the true value. The confidence interval equation was
applied, where the term to the right of the ± sign was equated to the margin of error, and
the resulting equation was solved for sample size (n).
The general formula used for calculating the sample size is:
n = (Z² × p̂ (1-p̂ )) / ε²
Where:
Z = z-score
ε = margin of error
N = population size
p̂ = population proportion
Confidence Level
The confidence level is a measure of certainty regarding how accurately a sample reflects
the population being studied within a chosen confidence interval. The most commonly used
confidence levels are 90%, 95%, and 99%, each with their own corresponding z-scores. The
table below provides the z-scores for various confidence levels.
Confidence Level z-score (±)
0.70 1.04
0.75 1.15
0.80 1.28
0.85 1.44
0.92 1.75
0.95 1.96
0.96 2.05
0.98 2.33
0.99 2.58
0.999 3.29
0.9999 3.89
0.99999 4.42
Dropout Adjustment
The calculated sample size was 40, based on a population of 44. To account for potential
dropout or attrition (approximately 9–10%), all 44 patients were recruited, ensuring that at
least 40 participants would complete the study.
