Definitions Biostatistics Flashcards
Basic definitions
What do biostaticians do?
Develop study designs, advise on study contact and apply quantitative methods to analyze resulting data.
In close consultation with subject experts such as cancer biologists and infectious disease specialists, as well as those responsible for collecting the data, biostatisticians develop a study designs, advise on study contact, and apply quantitative methods to analyze the resulting data. Not only will research results be reported to the scientific community, but also new methods or software may be developed for application to future studies.
What are biostaticians concerned with?
Driven by questions relating to the health of people—as individuals or members of population.
How is biostatistics used in PH?
Biostatistics can help identify the best way to deploy resources to treat populations. To control an epidemic, the goal is not only finding the best way to treat an infected person, but also to control spread in the population.
Why are new analytic tools sometimes required by biostaticians?
To answer complex questions, and determine how diseases are being spread e.g. specific strains of HIV viruses among susceptible populations. To account for data that is missing. E.g. development of EM algorithim by Nan Laird, Harvey V. Fineberg.
What is biostatistics?
Biostatistics is the application of statistical theories to life sciences.
AKA The application of the mathematical tools used in statistics to the fields of biological sciences and medicine.
Define statistics
The study of how to collect, organise, present, analyse and interpret numerical information from data.
What is biostatistics
Statistics in the field of medicine, biology and public health
Vital statistics
Numerical description of birth, death, marriage, divorce, abortion.
Fertility statistics
Data about future family size
Health Statistics
Data about health resources and disease
Demographic statistics
Demographic phenomenon e.g. population, density, movement and education level
Data types
Analysis of records, counting, surveys, experiments, reports
