Interpretation and uses of medical statistics - Hardcover

Bourke, Geoffrey J

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0632053704 ISBN 13: 9780632053704

Publisher: Blackwell Scientific, 1969

Synopsis

This book introduces the basic concepts underlying the use of statistics in medical research, and is a practical guide to the initiation and analysis of a research project. It covers the majority of statistical methods commonly encountered in the medical literature and, in line with current thinking, particular emphasis is placed on the confidence interval approach. This edition expands on the material in the last edition, but the broad structure of the book remains the same. However, the chapters on computers and vital statistics have been totally reworked. Major changes have been made to the sections on confidence intervals.

About this title

From the Back Cover:

In 1969 the first edition of this book aimed to introduce the concepts of statistics and their medical application to readers with no formal training in this area. While retaining this basic aim, the authors have expanded the coverage in each subsequent edition to keep pace with the increasing use and sophistication of statistics in medical research.

This fifth edition has undergone major restructuring, with some sections totally rewritten; it is now more logically organised and substantially more user-friendly (with the addition of 'summary boxes' throughout the text) to incorporate the new statistical techniques and approaches that have made an appearance in the last nine years since the last edition. Also, some chapters or chapter headings are specifically marked to signify material that is generally a little more difficult than the material in which it is embedded - such sections or chapters can be omitted at first reading.

Several new chapters have been added - "Associations: Chance, Confounded and Causal?" explaining without any formulae the concepts underlying confounding, confidence intervals and p values, and the interpretation of associations observed in research investigations. The other new chapter considers sample size calculations in some detail and provides, in addition to the relevant formulae, useful tables which should give the researcher an indication of the order of magnitude of the number of subjects he or she might require in different situations.

Review:

"Medical Uses of Statistics, 3rd Edition" presents the concepts of medical statistics across a broad range of topics with a practical perspective, a moderate level of detail, and a minimal number of formulae . . . The text is clearly written in a consistent style, as illustrated by these excerpts." (Journal of Clinical Research Best Practices, 8 August 2011)

...the book can be warmly recommended as a textbook and reference for undergraduate medical students and health professionals."  Statistical Methods in Medical Research (on the fourth edition)

"It should prove useful for both undergraduate medical and paramedical students, and for postgraduate researchers and clinicians who wish to have a greater understanding of medical statistics or to analyse their own data."  Modern Medicine of Australia (on the fourth edition)

About this edition

• Publisher: Blackwell Scientific
• Publication date: 1969
• ISBN 10: 0632053704
• ISBN 13: 9780632053704
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 162