Nigussie Yohanes

(BSc, MPH/ Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Assistant Professor)

February 04,2023
At the end of the course students will be able to know and discuss:
 Role of statistics and uses of statistical methods in healthcare;
 Methods of collection, recording, coding and handling data;
 Measures of central tendency and dispersion and present data
 Use of data
 Techniques of sampling;
 Statistical estimation and statistical significance.
 Be able to conduct different advanced statistical analysis
Modules Topics Facilitator
1. Introduction Ass’t Prof. Nigussie
2. Descriptive Statistics ”
3. Numerical Summary Measures ”
4. Demography and Health service Statistics ”
5. Probability and Probability Distribution ”
6. Sample Size Estimation ”
7. Sampling Techniques ”
8. Statistical Estimation ”
9. Hypothesis Testing ”
10. Analysis of Variance ”
11. Correlation and Linear Regression ”
12. Logistic Regression ”
13. Survival Analysis ”
14. Parametric VS Non-parametric Methods ”
 Interactive Lectures /Discussions
 Data Analysis using Software
 Individual/Group Assignments
 Individual/Group Presentations/Seminars
 Individual Exercise
 Group Exercise
 Seminar Presentations
 Final Examination
1. Martin Bland. An introduction to Medical Statistics
2. Daniel W. Biostatistics a foundation for analysis in the Health Sciences
3. Anders Ahlbom. Biostatistics for Epidemiologists
4. Pagano & Gauvereau. Principles of Biostatistics
5. Colton T. Statistics in Medicine
6. Kirkwood BR. Essentials of Medical Statistics
7. Knapp RG, Miller MC. Clinical epidemiology and Biostatistics. Baltimore
Williams and Wilkins, 1992
8. Freedman D. et.al. Statistics
9. P. Armitage & G. Berry. Statistical Methods in Medical Research
10. Moore & McCabe. Introduction to the practice of Statistics
11. Schelesslman, J.J. Case control studies, Design, Conduct, Analysis, Oxford
University Press, New York, 1982
12. Breslow, N.E. Statistical Methods in cancer Research, Volume I-The analysis of
case-control studies
 What is Biostatistics?
 Statistics: is the science of gaining information through
o Collection
o Presentation
o organization
o Analysis and drawing conclusion (inferences) from data.

 The tools of statistics are employed in many fields

Biostatistics: The application of statistical methods to the fields of
biological and medical sciences.

 Has central role in medical investigations

 Concerned with interpretation of biological data & the

communication of information about data
Branches of Statistics
1. Descriptive statistics: deals with the description of data in a clear
and informative manner using tables and graphs.
 Ways of organizing and summarizing data
 Helps to identify the general features and trends in a set of data
and extracting useful information
 Also very important in conveying the final results of a study
 Example: tables, graphs, numerical summary measures
 2. Inferential statistics: deals with techniques of making
conclusions about the population based on the information
obtained from a sample drawn from that population.

 The inferences are drawn from particular properties of sample

to particular properties of population.
 Inferential statistics builds upon descriptive statistics.
 Example: Principles of probability, estimation,, hypothesis
testing, etc.
 B io sta tistics

D e scrip tive S ta tistics In fe re ntia l S ta tistics

co lle ction m a kin g infe re n ces

o rg a nizing h yp o the sis te sting
su m m a rizin g d e te rm inin g re latio n sh ip
p re se n ting o f d a ta m a kin g th e p re d iction
 Provide a way of organizing information

 Assessment of health status

 Health program evaluation

 Resource allocation

 Magnitude of association
Strong vs weak association between exposure and outcome
 Assessing risk factors
 Cause & effect relationship

E.g. Evaluation of a new vaccine or drug

How effective is the vaccine (drug)?
Is the effect due to chance or some bias?

 Drawing of inferences
Information from sample to population
 They must be in aggregates: A single fact, even though numerically

stated, cannot be called statistics

 They must be affected by a multiplicity of causes

 They must be reasonably accurate.

 They must have been collected in a systematic manner for a

predetermined purpose.

 They must be comparable either in point of time, space or condition.

 It deals with only those subjects of inquiry that are capable of
being quantitatively measured and numerically expressed.

 It deals with aggregates of facts and no importance is attached to

individual items

 Statistical data are only approximately and not mathematically

correct.
 Data: Information collected from the source
 Numbers which can be measurements or can be obtained by
counting
 The raw material for statistics
 Can be obtained from:
 Routinely kept records
 Surveys
 Counting
 Experiments
 Reports
 Observation
1. Primary sources of data: it needs the involvement of the
researcher himself.
2. Secondary sources of data: In this case data were obtained from
already collected sources like newspaper, magazines, CSA,
DHS, hospital records and existing data like;
 Mortality reports
 Morbidity reports
 Epidemic reports
 Reports of laboratory utilization (including laboratory test results)
 Data collection is a crucial stage in the planning and
implementation of a study
 If the data collection has been superficial, biased or incomplete,
data analysis becomes difficult, and the research report will be of
poor quality.
 Therefore, we should concentrate all possible efforts on
developing appropriate tools, and should test them several times.
 Observation:-
 is a technique that involves systematically selecting, watching and
recording behavior and characteristics of living beings, objects or
phenomena.
 It can be undertaken in different ways;
 Participant observation: The observer takes part in the situation
he or she observes.
 Non-participant observation: The observer watches the
situation, openly or concealed, but does not participate
 Observations can give additional, more accurate information on
behavior of people than interviews or questionnaires
 Observations can also be made on objects;
 For example, the presence or absence of a latrine and its state of
cleanliness may be observed.
 Here observation would be the major research technique
 Interview (face-to-face): -
 is a data-collection technique that involves oral questioning of
respondents, either individually or as a group.
 Answers to the questions posed during an interview can be
recorded by:
◦ writing them down (either during the interview itself or immediately after
the interview) or
◦ by tape-recording the responses, or by a combination of both.
 Administered written questionnaire:- is a data collection tool in
which written questions are presented that are to be answered by
the respondents in written form
 It can be administered in different ways, such as by:
 Sending questionnaires by mail with clear instructions on how to answer the
questions and asking for mailed responses;
 Gathering all or part of the respondents in one place at one time, giving oral
or written instructions, and letting the respondents fill out the questionnaires;
 Hand-delivering questionnaires to respondents and collecting them later

 The questions can be either open-ended or closed

 Example: closed ended question
What is the current breastfeeding status of mother ?
1. Exclusive breastfeeding
2. Partial breastfeeding
3. Not breastfeeding
 Open ended question
At what age the child started supplementary food?
 What are the advantage and disadvantage?
 Focus group discussions:-
 It allows a group of 8 - 12 informants to freely discuss a certain

subject with the guidance of a facilitator or reporter

 In-depth interview:
 It is a conversion between the researcher and the subject about

the research area or topic.

 Itis designed to allow the respondent to tell their story in their

own way

 Issuescovered in detail; respondent leads the interviews/sets the

agenda; no fixed order