Measuring And Summarizing Data

Question 1

Define the term spurious

Answer 1

Means false

Question 2

What do we use to study descriptive epidemiology?

Answer 2

Using the epidemiological triad.

Question 3

Define data

Answer 3

A collection of facts for reference.
Basis for information which can be used to derive knowledge.

Question 4

Define variables

Answer 4

These are data units that take on different values.

Question 5

State the two categories of data.

Answer 5

1.Categorical or qualitative
2.Continous or quantitative

Question 6

Describe categorical or quantitative (discrete) data.

Answer 6

These take definite values or either Yes or No.
Can be summarized using bar graphs e g sex,whether sick or not.

Question 7

Describe continuous or quantitative data.

Answer 7

This is a variable that could take an infinite number of values.
Can be summarized using histograms e g weight,height,blood pressure.

Question 8

What is another classification of data besides quantitative and qualitative?

Answer 8

•Ordinal
•Nominal
•Interval
•Ratio

Question 9

Describe ordinal data.

Answer 9

This is where different categories refer to variation in degree of variable e.g mild,moderate,severe

Question 10

Describe nominal data

Answer 10

This is where categories have no quantitative value.
E.g sex,race

Question 11

Describe interval.

Answer 11

This is when the difference between categories is known and the differences are quantified.

Question 12

Describe ratio

Answer 12

This is a value obtained by dividing one quantity by another which includes a value of zero.

Question 13

Define a proportion

Answer 13

This is where the numerator is part of the denominator.It can be expressed as a percentage.

Question 14

Define a rate

Answer 14

This is a type of ratio which is a proportion but with a denominator that involves measure of time.
It is usually used with a multiplier.

Question 15

Define case definition

Answer 15

Where the phenomenon being studied is identified /defined precisely to make it easy to replicate or find.

Question 16

What are the sources of data?

Answer 16

1.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
2.World Health Organization
3.The National Census
4.Demographic and Health Survey

Question 17

Define case registry

Answer 17

This is a centralized database for collection of information about a disease to monitor trends, determine patterns,guide planning etc

Question 18

Define parameters

Answer 18

Characteristics of a population

Question 19

Define sample

Answer 19

Subset of a population

Question 20

Define statistics

Answer 20

Characteristics of a sample

Question 21

Define sampling units

Answer 21

Individuals in a sample

Question 22

Define sampling frame

Answer 22

The possible members where sampling units are collected from.

Question 23

Define internal validity

Answer 23

Looks at how statistics reflect members in the sample

Question 24

What causes chance findings

Answer 24

A sample that is too small

Question 25

Define data in epidemiology

Answer 25

These are facts for reference

Question 26

What is binary or dichotomous data?

Answer 26

When there are two options e.g male/female.
Present/absent

Question 27

Define quota sampling

Answer 27

This is when you divide members into for example male and female then get a sample.

Question 28

Define purposive sampling

Answer 28

This is when you have a characteristic of concern then you choose individuals who are likely to have it.

Question 29

What is convenience sampling?

Answer 29

This is when individuals are picked based on how easy it is to find them.

Question 30

Define snowballing

Answer 30

This is when one member points out another member.
This is when something is so rare

Question 31

What is common among quota, convenience, snowballing and purposive?

Answer 31

They are non-probabilistic and they are more prone to bias.

Question 32

Give examples of inferential biostatistics

Answer 32

•standard deviation
•Range
•F-test
•t-test

Question 33

What does descriptive statistics include?

Answer 33

Mode, median,mode

Question 34

List some of the measures used to check for spread of data

Answer 34

Range,standard deviation

Question 35

What are confidence intervals?

Answer 35

These are a range of estimates for a given parameter

Question 36

Define counts

Answer 36

Number of cases of a disease

Question 37

Define population at risk/susceptible individuals

Answer 37

These are members that a capable of getting a health condition

Question 38

Define person years

Answer 38

Refers to the time a given number of people spend in a study.

Question 39

Define reference population

Answer 39

This is the population from which cases are taken.

Question 40

Define attack rate

Answer 40

This is the proportion of individuals affected in the population at risk in a limited period of time

Question 41

Define case fatality rate

Answer 41

Refers to the number of deaths due to a disease that occurs among persons who are afflicted with that disease

Question 42

Define proportional mortality ratio

Answer 42

This is the number of deaths within a population due to specific disease or cause divided by the total number of deaths in the population.

Question 43

Define cause specific rate

Answer 43

This is a measure that refers to mortality divided by the population size at midpoint multiplied by a multiplier

Question 44

Define crude rates

Answer 44

Refers to rates that have not been modified to demographic characteristics e.g people died from malaria and TB

Question 45

List two numerical variables

Answer 45

•continous
•discontinous

Question 46

List two categorical variables

Answer 46

•unordered (dichotomous or binary)
•ordered (e.g mild,moderate, severe)