Stats Flashcards
Significance level
The probability of rejecting the null hypothesis given that it is true (a type I error)
AKA alpha
Power
Probability that a test will reject a false null hypothesis
Factors influencing power:
- Sample size
- Standard deviation
- Effect size
- Alpha
- Beta
Better off increasing effect size than sample size as standard errors of estimation decrease with the
square root of the sample size
Effect size
Effect size is a quantitative measure of the strength of a phenomenon
Examples of effect sizes are:
- correlation between two variables
- the regression coefficient in a regression
- the difference between the two means
- the risk with which something happens
Regression coefficient
The constant that represents the rate of change of one variable as a function of changes in the other
It is a in y=ax+b
Hazard ratio
The ratio of the
probability of a harmful event in the
experimental arm to the probability in the comparator arm
It is a measure at a specific time point, whereas relative risk is cumulative over a period of time.
Odds ratio
Represents the odds that an outcome will occur given a particular exposure, compared to the odds of the outcome occurring in the absence of that exposure.
OR= ratio of positive outcome (exposed/non exposed) divided by ratio of no outcome (exposed/non exposed)
OR=1 Exposure does not affect odds of outcome
OR>1 Exposure associated with higher odds of outcome
OR<1 Exposure associated with lower odds of outcome
Used for case-control studies
Applies only to sample tested, not overall population
Not a measure of probability, unlike relative risk
In rare diseases, odds ratio approximates to relative risk
Relative risk
Probability of an event when exposed divided by probability of event when not exposed
Probability of event in exposed/all exposed divided by probability of event not exposed/all not exposed
P-value
Probability of obtaining a result equal to or “more extreme” than what was actually observed, when the null hypothesis is true
Differs from alpha which is the level
Absolute risk reduction
The difference in risk of an outcome with and without intervention
Relative risk reduction
Absolute risk reduction divided by control event rate
- Takes into account control rate of event
Selection bias
Individuals being more likely to be selected for study than others
Berksonian bias is a type of selection bias when both the disease and exposure affect participant selection e.g. case control study
Bias
Systematic deviation of results or inferences from truth
Spectrum bias
Failure or diagnostic test to account for variation in the population e.g. evaluating diagnostic tests on biased patient samples, leading to an overestimate of the sensitivity and specificity of the test.
In an ideal world, every variation would be included proportionally within the study and stratified for according to probability of an outcome.
Omitted variable bias
Bias that appears in estimates of parameters in a regression analysis when the assumed specification omits an independent variable that should be in the model.
Detection bias
Systematic differences between groups in how outcomes are determined
N.B selection bias: participant with influential characteristic more likely to be recruited/selected for
Funding bias
May lead to selection of outcomes, test samples, or test procedures that favor a study’s financial sponsor
Reporting bias
Selective revealing or suppression of information
-more likely in self-reporting surveys for habits perceived as positive or negative
Exclusion bias
Systematic exclusion of certain individuals from the study.
Attrition bias
Arises due to a loss of participants e.g. loss to follow up during a study - less than 5% is of little concern, over 20% poses serious threats to validity