Contents

Disclaimer

Oxford University Press makes no representation, express or implied, that the drug dosages in this book are correct. Readers must therefore always check the product information and clinical procedures with the most up to date published product information and data sheets provided by the manufacturers and the most recent codes of conduct and safety regulations. The authors and the publishers do not accept responsibility or legal liability for any errors in the text or for the misuse or misapplication of material in this work. Except where otherwise stated, drug dosages and recommendations are for the non-pregnant adult who is not breastfeeding.

Show Summary Details
Page of

Statistical methods 

Statistical methods
Chapter:
Statistical methods
Author(s):

Gail Williams

DOI:
10.1093/med/9780199661756.003.0119
Page of

PRINTED FROM OXFORD MEDICINE ONLINE (www.oxfordmedicine.com). © Oxford University Press, 2021. All Rights Reserved. Under the terms of the licence agreement, an individual user may print out a PDF of a single chapter of a title in Oxford Medicine Online for personal use (for details see Privacy Policy and Legal Notice).

date: 23 June 2021

This chapter provides an introduction to statistical methods with illustrative examples from public health and epidemiological research. The chapter begins by distinguishing between a study sample and a target population. It goes on to outline different methods of sampling, including probability and non-probability sampling methods. In the following section, the distributions of epidemiological variables are considered, leading on to discussion of probability distributions and statistical inference. Methods for comparing data from two or more groups are then outlined, including methods for continuous and categorical variables. Analysis of time-to-event data to evaluate survival times is then outlined. The final section of the chapter discusses the application of multivariable models to epidemiological data, including extensions of basic models to more complex data distributions. The chapter concludes by cautioning that increasing ease of access to sophisticated statistical methods may increase the risk of erroneous application. There is little substitute for consulting a qualified statistician, particularly with complex designs.

Access to the complete content on Oxford Medicine Online requires a subscription or purchase. Public users are able to search the site and view the abstracts for each book and chapter without a subscription.

Please subscribe or login to access full text content.

If you have purchased a print title that contains an access token, please see the token for information about how to register your code.

For questions on access or troubleshooting, please check our FAQs, and if you can't find the answer there, please contact us.