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The document is a lecture presentation on the importance of biostatistics for nursing, covering basic terms, types of variables, measurement scales, and statistical methods. It aims to equip students with the ability to recognize and differentiate key concepts in biostatistics, which is essential for interpreting research findings and improving patient care. The presentation also includes examples of qualitative and quantitative data, as well as levels of measurement.

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janabajaba2010
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5 views

Introduction to Biostatistics Copy

The document is a lecture presentation on the importance of biostatistics for nursing, covering basic terms, types of variables, measurement scales, and statistical methods. It aims to equip students with the ability to recognize and differentiate key concepts in biostatistics, which is essential for interpreting research findings and improving patient care. The presentation also includes examples of qualitative and quantitative data, as well as levels of measurement.

Uploaded by

janabajaba2010
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Introduction to Biostatistics

Why biostatistics is important for nursing?


Presenter(s): Dr Abd Alhadi Hasan
Jana bajabaa 25000447 / Khlood asiri 25000449 / Daniyah mansour
25000538

1
By the end of the lecture, students should be
able to:
1. Recognize the basic terms of biostatistics and statistics
2. Differentiate between different types of variables
3. Differentiate between different types of measurement
scales
4. Differentiate between different between study sample and
population
5. Identify randomization and its uses
6. Identify the types of statistical test of descriptive and
inferential branches
7. Evaluate the symbols of population parameters, and
biased and unbiased estimators

2
What is Statistics?
• Statistics: field of study concerned with data collection,
organization, summarization, analysis, and making inferences on
data.
• Biostatistics: refer to data analysis derived from biological sciences.

Introduction to Basic Terms


Population: A collection, or set, of individuals or objects or events
whose properties are to be analyzed.
Sample: A subset of the population.
Random sampling: every element in the population has an equal
chance of being selected.
Parameter: A numerical value summarizing all the data of an entire
population.
Statistic: A numerical value summarizing the sample data

What is Data? - What is Variable?


• Data: raw material of statistics, defined as numbers. Derived from
records, surveys, experiments, external sources.
• Variable: the observed characteristic (A characteristic about each
individual element of a population or sample).
• Random variable: the value of a variable that can't exactly be
predicted in advance.

Types of Variables
• Qualitative, or Categorical, Variable: A variable that categorizes
or describes an element of a population.
• Note: Arithmetic operations, such as addition and averaging, are not
meaningful for data resulting from a qualitative variable.
• Quantitative, or Numerical, Variable: A variable that quantifies
an element of a population.
• Note: Arithmetic operations such as addition and averaging, are
meaningful for data resulting from a quantitative variable.

3
Qualitative vs Quantitative Data
• Qualitative Data is data of the nominal or ordinal level that is
classified (categorized) by a label or category. The labels may be
numeric or nonnumeric.
• Quantitative Data is data of the interval or ratio level that is
measured on a naturally occurring numeric scale.

Discrete and Continuous Data


• Discrete Data is numeric data in which the values can come only
from a list of specific values. Discrete data results from a counting
process. (Number of admissions, deaths, new born).
• Continuous Data is numeric data that can take values at every
point over a given interval. Continuous data result from a measuring
process. (height, weight).

Examples
• Example: Identify each of the following examples as attribute
(qualitative) or numerical (quantitative) variables.
• 1. The residence hall for each student in a statistics class.
(Attribute/qualitative)
• 2. The amount of gasoline pumped by the next 10 customers at
(certain gas station). (Numerical/quantitative)
• 4. The color of the baseball cap worn by each of 20 students.
(Attribute/qualitative)
• 5. The length of time to complete a mathematics homework
assignment. (Numerical/quantitative)
• 6. The state in which each truck is registered when stopped and
inspected at a weigh station. (Attribute/qualitative)
• Classify The Following As To Qualitative Or Quantitative
Measurement. Then State the Level Of Measurement.
• Eye Color (blue, brown, green, hazel)
• Rating scale for health (poor, good, excellent)

• Stress score (0-30)


• Salary (1000 -10000)
• Age

4
• Ranking of high school football teams in (X country)
• Nationality
• Temperature

Levels of Data Measurement


• Measurement: is assignment of numbers to objects or events
• Levels of Measurement
• 1. Nominal scale: Lowest level of measurement: classifying
observations into mutually exclusive categories. (using numbers to
distinguish between ethnic groups, gender (M-F, Health S-W).
Nominal Level Data
• Numbers are used to classify or categorize
• Example: Employment Classification
• 1 for Educator
• 2 for Construction Worker
• 3 for Manufacturing Worker
Example: Ethnicity
1 for African American
2 for Anglo-American
3 for Hispanic American
4 for Oriental-American

Ordinal Level Data


• 2. Ordinal scale: observations ranked according to some criterion
(not at all-sometimes-often; low-medium-high).
• Stress Level: Mild
Moderate
Severe

5
Extremely severe
• Numbers are used to indicate rank or order
• Relative magnitude of numbers is meaningful
• Differences between numbers are not comparable

Example: Taste test ranking of three brands of soft drink


Example: Position within an organization
1 for President
2 for Vice President
3 for Plant Manager
4 for Department Supervisor
5 for Employee

Likert Scale/Ordinal
Faculty and staff should receive preferential treatment for parking
space.

Interval Level Data


• 3. Interval scale: Scale where it is not possible to order
measurements and the distance between any two measurements is
equal. The selected zero point is not necessarily a true zero
(temperature).
• Distances between consecutive integers are equal
• Relative magnitude of numbers is meaningful
• Differences between numbers are comparable

• Location of origin, zero, is arbitrary (illogical/chance)


• Vertical intercept of unit of measure transform function is not zero
• Examples: Fahrenheit Temperature

Ratio Level Data


• 4. Ratio - Highest level of measurement: Characterized by the
equality of ratios and equality of intervals (height, weight, length).
• Highest level of measurement

6
• Relative magnitude of numbers is meaningful
• Differences between numbers are comparable
• Location of origin, zero, is absolute (natural)
• Vertical intercept of unit of measure transform function is zero
• Examples: Height, and Weight

Example
• Example: Identify each of the following as examples of (1) nominal,
(2) ordinal, (3) discrete, or (4) continuous variables:
• The length of time until a pain reliever begins to work.
• The number of chocolate chips in a cookie.
• The number of colors used in a statistics textbook.
• The brand of refrigerator in a home.
• The overall satisfaction rating of a new car.
• The number of files on a computer’s hard disk.
• Number of boys in a family
• The number of staples in a stapler.

Data Level, Operations, and Statistical Methods

Data Level Meaningful Operations Statistical Methods


Classifying and
Nominal Nonparametric
counting
All of above plus
Ordinal Nonparametric
Ranking
All of above plus
Addition, Subtraction,
Interval Parametric
Multiplication, and
Division
Ratio All of the above Parametric

7
Take-home Message
• Statistics allows nurses to
1. understand how to interpret the findings from recent research and
how to communicate these findings to patients, colleagues, and the
community.
2. identify specific patterns in important signs and symptoms and be
able to respond better to any medical changes in your patient.

References
- Katz, D. L., Elmore, J. G., Wild, D., & Lucan, S. C. (2016). Jekel's
Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Preventive Medicine. Elsevier Health
Sciences
- Merrill, R. M. (2013). Fundamentals of epidemiology and
biostatistics: Combining the basics. Jones & Bartlett Learning
- Bernard, R. (2017). Fundamentals of Biostatistics. Jones & Bartlett
Learning

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