Role Of Statistics in healthcare

Question 1

What are the four ways of acquiring knowledge

Answer 1

Authority
rationalism
Intuition
scientific method

Question 2

What is meant when we say knowledge is acquired through “Authority”

Answer 2

Tradition or someone credible says so

Question 3

What is meant when we say knowledge is acquired through “Rationalism”

Answer 3

Reasoning, sound premise

Reasoning according to logic

Question 4

What is meant when we say knowledge is acquired through “Intuition”

Answer 4

Sudden insight

Question 5

What is meant when we say knowledge is acquired through “Scientific Method”

Answer 5

Some reasoning and intuition but much reliance on objective assessment

Question 6

What is statistics

Answer 6

The science of collecting, summarizing, and analyzing data. Data may or may not be subject to random variation

Question 7

What are the two main types of statistics

Answer 7

Descriptive statistics

Inferential statistics

Question 8

What is Descriptive Statistics

Answer 8

Concerned with techniques used to describe or characterize data

Question 9

What is Inferential statistics

Answer 9

Involves techniques that use sample data to infer to populations

Question 10

Define mathematical statistics

Answer 10

Concerns the development of new methods of statistical inference and requires detailed knowledge of abstract mathematics for its implementation

Question 11

Define applied statistics

Answer 11

Concerns the application of the methods of mathematical statistics to specific subject areas

Question 12

Define biostatistics

Answer 12

Concerns the application of statistical methods to medical and biological problems

Question 13

Define data

Answer 13

Items of information that have not been processed

Question 14

Define population

Answer 14

Complete sets of all elements people/objects which can be studied

Question 15

Define Sample

Answer 15

Subset of a population. To draw inferences, the sample must be selected so that it is representative of the population studied

Question 16

Define census

Answer 16

The collection of data from every member of the population

Question 17

What are two types of data

Answer 17

Primary and Secondary

Question 18

Define primary data

Answer 18

This is data collected by the researcher for use in investigating the specific research problem at hand

Question 19

Define secondary data

Answer 19

This is data collected by others and for other purposes which are used by researchers in their investigation

Question 20

What is a disadvantage of primary data

Answer 20

The cost and time for acquisition an be prohibitive

Question 21

Advantage of secondary data

Answer 21

Less expensive and less time consuming than primary data

Question 22

List five sources of secondary data in Jamaica

Answer 22

Registrar General’s Department 
Ministry of Health
STATIN/PIOJ
Disease registries
Other researchers work

Question 23

What is evidence based practice

Answer 23

Concerned with the treatment and prevention of disease and promotion of health and well- being

Requires both the gathering of evidence and its critical interpretation

Question 24

What are the advantages of Judicious use of statistics

Answer 24

Enables is to:

Collect data appropriately 
Handle variation and uncertainty 
Describe and summarize data
Analyse data
Make inferences 
Form appropriate conclusions 
Inform decision making

Question 25

What are three uses of statistics

Answer 25

• determine the number of people from whom we collect data
• validate questionnaires
• Evaluate data collection methods

Question 26

What are the four causes of Variation in Data collection

Answer 26

Biological factors
Environmental factors
Methodological factors
Chance and unknown factors

Question 27

What is the definition of diagnosis

Answer 27

Process of determining health status and factors responsible for it

Question 28

How is a diagnosis characterized

Answer 28

Clustering of signs and symptoms

Values of biochemical and other measurements