Biostatistics 1
Code
101000
Academic unit
NOVA Medical School | Faculdade de Ciências Médicas
Credits
5
Teacher in charge
Profª. Doutora Ana Luísa Trigoso Papoila da Silva
Teaching language
Portuguese
Objectives
Due to the great heterogeneity between students regarding age, this curricular unit main aim is to refresh
knowledge about statistical methodologies allowing to register and analyse data gathered at epidemiological studies, as well as to interpret the obtained results. This curricular unit should promote the following skills: a) using the package SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences): to do an exploratory analysis, to identify which is the statistical model that best fits the data and to implement it, and b) to read the literature about biomedical research studies competently and critically.
Prerequisites
Subject matter
Summarizing data. Presenting data. Correlation coefficients (Pearson, Spearman and Kendall). Probability and random variables. Sampling methods. Statistical inference: estimation and hypothesis tests: basic concepts, one-sample tests, two independent samples tests (z test, t test, and Mann-Whitney test), paired samples tests (paired t-test, Wilcoxon and Sign test), more than two independent samples tests (ANOVA I and Kruskal-Wallis) and more than two related samples tests (Friedman). Analysis of cross-tabulations (Chi-squared test for association and Fisher's exact test) and McNemar's test for matched samples. Interpreting results obtained by linear, logistic and Cox regression models.
Bibliography
1. Altman, D. (1991). Practical statistics for medical research. First edition. Chapman & Hall, London.
2. Bland, M. (2000). An introduction to medical statistics. Third edition. Oxford University Press.
3. Daniel, W.W. (2008). Biostatistics: A foundation for analysis in the health sciences. 9th edition edition. John Wiley & Sons.
4. Pestana, M. H. e Gageiro, J.N. (2005). Análise de dados para ciências sociais: A complementaridade do SPSS. Edições Sílabo, Lisboa.
Teaching method
Teaching is based in the integration of: a) theoretical teaching: themes are presented by a teacher with the demand of students participation; b) practical teaching: resolution of practical exercises using SPSS. Interaction between students and teachers is both at the classroom and by e-mail. Classes will take, at most, 120 minutes and will take place at a classroom with computers (1 for each student).
Evaluation method
To assess students performance, a formal written examination will take place where exercises must be solved using SPSS.