Who Developed The Concept Of Medical Statistics

Who Developed the Concept of Medical Statistics? Unraveling the History of Data in Healthcare

Introduction:

Have you ever wondered how doctors and researchers make informed decisions about treatments, disease prevalence, and public health initiatives? The answer lies in the fascinating field of medical statistics. This isn't just about crunching numbers; it's about developing rigorous methods to analyze health data, leading to breakthroughs that save lives and improve healthcare worldwide. This comprehensive post delves into the history of medical statistics, exploring the key figures who shaped its development and the milestones that transformed healthcare. We'll uncover the evolution of this crucial discipline, from its humble beginnings to its sophisticated applications today. Prepare to journey through time, discovering the minds behind the data that shapes modern medicine.

1. The Early Seeds: John Graunt and the Birth of Demography

While the formal discipline of medical statistics emerged later, its roots lie in the burgeoning field of demography. John Graunt (1620-1674), a London haberdasher, is often credited with laying some of the earliest foundations. His groundbreaking work, Natural and Political Observations Made upon the Bills of Mortality (1662), analyzed weekly mortality records in London. Graunt meticulously categorized causes of death, revealing patterns and trends previously hidden in raw data. Although not strictly medical statistics as we know it, his pioneering use of data analysis to understand population health laid crucial groundwork. His work emphasized the importance of systematic data collection and analysis, a fundamental principle of medical statistics to this day. He established a precedent for using quantitative methods to understand public health issues.

2. The Rise of Epidemiology: William Farr and the Foundation of Vital Statistics

Building on Graunt's work, William Farr (1807-1883), a British physician and statistician, is considered a pivotal figure in the development of medical statistics. Farr significantly advanced the field by introducing the concept of "vital statistics"— systematic recording of births, deaths, and causes of death. His work focused on the systematic collection and analysis of mortality data, aiming to identify patterns and causes of disease. He meticulously analyzed mortality data, linking mortality rates to factors like occupation, geography, and socioeconomic status. Farr’s contribution to understanding disease distribution and patterns laid the foundation for modern epidemiology. He championed the cause of standardized data collection across England and Wales, paving the way for more robust and comparable analyses.

3. The Pioneers of Clinical Trials: Ronald A. Fisher and the Statistical Revolution

The early 20th century witnessed a statistical revolution that fundamentally transformed medical research. Ronald A. Fisher (1890-1962), a British statistician, is considered one of the most influential figures in statistics overall, and his contributions profoundly impacted medical statistics. Fisher's development of techniques like analysis of variance (ANOVA) and randomization allowed for more rigorous design and analysis of clinical trials. His work provided the statistical framework to draw more accurate conclusions about the effectiveness of treatments, paving the way for evidence-based medicine. Before Fisher, clinical trials were often poorly designed and lacked statistical rigor, hindering progress in therapeutic development.

4. The Emergence of Biostatistics: The Collaborative Effort

The development of medical statistics wasn't the work of a single individual but a collaborative effort involving numerous statisticians, epidemiologists, and medical researchers. The mid-20th century saw the formalization of "biostatistics," a specialized field applying statistical methods to biological and health data. This involved integrating statistical principles with medical knowledge, leading to more refined analytical approaches for studying disease processes and evaluating healthcare interventions. Universities started offering specialized training programs in biostatistics, creating a new generation of scientists equipped to tackle complex health-related research questions.

5. Modern Medical Statistics: A Multifaceted Discipline

Today, medical statistics encompasses a vast array of techniques and applications. From designing clinical trials to analyzing large-scale epidemiological studies, sophisticated statistical methods are crucial for advancing medical knowledge and improving healthcare practices. The use of advanced computing power and sophisticated software allows researchers to handle massive datasets, uncovering intricate relationships between health outcomes and risk factors. Areas like survival analysis, regression modeling, and meta-analysis are used routinely to draw reliable inferences from complex health data.

A Proposed Book Outline: "The Architects of Medical Statistics"

Introduction:
The importance of medical statistics in healthcare.
A brief overview of the history of data analysis in medicine.
Introducing key figures and their contributions.

Chapter 1: The Precursors – John Graunt and Early Demography:
Graunt's analysis of mortality bills.
The impact of his work on understanding population health.
Limitations and advancements needed.

Chapter 2: The Rise of Vital Statistics – William Farr and Epidemiology:
Farr's contributions to systematic data collection.
The link between vital statistics and public health initiatives.
Farr's influence on the development of epidemiology.

Chapter 3: The Statistical Revolution – Ronald A. Fisher and Clinical Trials:
Fisher's key statistical innovations.
The impact of randomization and ANOVA on clinical trial design.
The transition to evidence-based medicine.

Chapter 4: The Growth of Biostatistics – A Multidisciplinary Approach:
The formalization of biostatistics as a discipline.
The integration of statistical and medical knowledge.
The role of universities and research institutions.

Chapter 5: Medical Statistics in the 21st Century:
Modern statistical techniques and applications.
Big data and the challenges of analyzing massive datasets.
Future directions and challenges in medical statistics.

Conclusion:
Recap of key contributions and their lasting impact.
The ongoing importance of medical statistics in improving healthcare.
Reflection on the future of the field.


(Detailed explanations for each point in the book outline would require expanding this response significantly beyond the word limit. Each chapter would be a substantial section within a complete book.)


FAQs:

1. What is the difference between biostatistics and medical statistics? Biostatistics is a broader field encompassing the application of statistical methods to biological sciences, while medical statistics focuses specifically on health and healthcare data.

2. How did medical statistics impact public health? It allowed for the identification of disease patterns, risk factors, and effective interventions, leading to improved public health strategies and disease prevention.

3. What are some modern applications of medical statistics? Modern applications include clinical trial design, epidemiological studies, personalized medicine, and health policy analysis.

4. What are some challenges facing medical statistics today? Big data analysis, handling biases in data, ensuring data privacy, and the ethical implications of data analysis.

5. What software is commonly used in medical statistics? R, SAS, SPSS, and Stata are widely used software packages for statistical analysis in medicine.

6. What is the role of medical statisticians in clinical trials? Medical statisticians design clinical trials, analyze data, and interpret results to determine the efficacy and safety of new treatments.

7. How does medical statistics contribute to evidence-based medicine? By providing rigorous statistical methods to analyze research findings and draw reliable conclusions about the effectiveness of interventions.

8. What kind of education is required to become a medical statistician? Typically requires a master's or doctoral degree in biostatistics, statistics, or a related field.

9. What are some career paths for medical statisticians? Opportunities in academia, pharmaceutical companies, research institutions, government agencies, and consulting firms.


Related Articles:

1. The History of Epidemiology: Explores the evolution of epidemiology as a discipline and its contribution to understanding and controlling infectious diseases.

2. The Role of Statistics in Clinical Trials: Details the critical role of statistical methods in designing, analyzing, and interpreting clinical trials.

3. Introduction to Biostatistics: A beginner's guide to the fundamental concepts and methods of biostatistics.

4. Big Data in Healthcare: Discusses the challenges and opportunities of using big data to improve healthcare outcomes.

5. Survival Analysis in Medical Research: Explains the use of survival analysis techniques in analyzing time-to-event data in medical studies.

6. Regression Modeling in Medical Statistics: A detailed explanation of different regression models used in medical research.

7. Meta-analysis in Healthcare: Covers the methods and applications of meta-analysis in synthesizing results from multiple studies.

8. Ethical Considerations in Medical Statistics: Discusses ethical issues related to the collection, analysis, and interpretation of medical data.

9. The Future of Medical Statistics: Explores emerging trends and challenges in the field, including the use of artificial intelligence.


  who developed the concept of medical statistics: Medical Statistics Made Easy Michael Harris, Gordon Taylor, 2003-12-05 It is not necessary to know how to do a statistical analysis to critically appraise a paper. However, it is necessary to have a grasp of the basics, of whether the right test has been used and how to interpret the resulting figures. Short, readable, and useful, this book provides the essential, basic information without becoming bogged down in the
  who developed the concept of medical statistics: Principles of Medical Statistics Austin Bradford Hill, 1949
  who developed the concept of medical statistics: Medical Statistics Made Easy 2e - now superseded by 3e M. Harris, G. Taylor, 2008-02-29 This new edition of Medical Statistics Made Easy 2nd edition enables readers to understand the key statistical techniques used throughout the medical literature. Featuring a comprehensive updating of the 'Statistics at work' section, this new edition retains a consistent, concise, and user-friendly format. Each technique is graded for ease of use and frequency of appearance in the mainstream medical journals. Medical Statistics Made Easy 2nd edition is essential reading for anyone looking to understand: * confidence intervals and probability values * numbers needed to treat * t tests and other parametric tests * survival analysis If you need to understand the medical literature, then you need to read this book. Reviews: This book helps medical students understand the basic concepts of medical statistics starting in a 'step-by-step approach'. The authors have designed the book assuming that the reader has no prior knowledge. It focuses on the most common statistical concepts that are likely to be faced in medical literature. All chapters are concise and simple to understand. Each chapter starts with an introduction which consists of “how important” that particular statistical concept is, using a 'star' system. A 'thumbs-up' system shows how easy the statistical concept is to understand. Both these systems indicate time-efficient learning allowing yourself to focus on areas you find most difficult. Following this, there are worked out examples with exam-tips at the end of some chapters. The last chapter, 'Statistics at Work', shows how medical statistics is put into practice using worked out examples from renowned journals. This helps in assessing the reader’s own knowledge and gives them confidence in analysis of statistics of a journal. In conclusion, we would recommend this book as an introduction into medical statistics before plunging into the deep 'statistical' waters! It gives confidence to the reader in taking up the challenge of understanding statistics and [being] able to apply knowledge in analysing medical literature. Stefanie Zhao Lin Lip & Louise Murchison, Scottish Medical Journal, June 2010 If ever there was a book that completely lived up to its title, this is it...Perhaps above everything, it is the chapter layout and design that makes this book stand out head and shoulders above the crowd. At the beginning of each chapter two questions are posed – how important is the subject in question and how difficult is it to understand? The first is answered on the basis of how often the subject is mentioned / used in papers published in mainstream medical journals. A star rating is then given from one to five with five stars implying use in the majority of papers published. The second question is answered by means of a ‘thumbs up’ grading system. The more thumbs, the easier the concept is to understand (maximum of five). This, of course, provides a route into statistics for even the most idle of uneducated individuals! Five stars and five thumbs must surely indicate time-efficient learning! At the end of each chapter exam tips (light bulb icon!) are given – I doubt anyone could ask for more! The whole way in which the authors have written this book is commendable; the chapters are succinct, easy to follow and a pleasure to read...Is it value for money? – a definite yes even at twice the price. Of course I never exaggerate but if you breathe, you should own this book! Ian Pearce, Urology News, June 2010
  who developed the concept of medical statistics: The Road to Medical Statistics Eileen Magnello, Anne Hardy, 2002 There has been a growing recognition of the importance of mathematical and statistical methods in the history of medicine, particularly in those areas where statistical methods are a sine qua non such as epidemiology and randomised clinical trials. Despite this expanding scholarly interest, the development of the mathematical and statistical technologies in the biological sciences has not been examined systematically. This collection of essays aims to provide a broader overview of this field, and to explore the use of these with the use of these quantitative technologies in medical and clinical cultures from the seventeenth to the twentieth centuries.
  who developed the concept of medical statistics: Essential Medical Statistics Betty R. Kirkwood, Jonathan A. C. Sterne, 2010-09-16 Blackwell Publishing is delighted to announce that this book hasbeen Highly Commended in the 2004 BMA Medical Book Competition.Here is the judges' summary of this book: This is a technical book on a technical subject but presentedin a delightful way. There are many books on statistics for doctorsbut there are few that are excellent and this is certainly one ofthem. Statistics is not an easy subject to teach or write about.The authors have succeeded in producing a book that is as good asit can get. For the keen student who does not want a book formathematicians, this is an excellent first book on medicalstatistics. Essential Medical Statistics is a classic amongst medicalstatisticians. An introductory textbook, it presents statisticswith a clarity and logic that demystifies the subject, whileproviding a comprehensive coverage of advanced as well as basicmethods. The second edition of Essential Medical Statistics hasbeen comprehensively revised and updated to include modernstatistical methods and modern approaches to statistical analysis,while retaining the approachable and non-mathematical style of thefirst edition. The book now includes full coverage of the mostcommonly used regression models, multiple linear regression,logistic regression, Poisson regression and Cox regression, as wellas a chapter on general issues in regression modelling. Inaddition, new chapters introduce more advanced topics such asmeta-analysis, likelihood, bootstrapping and robust standarderrors, and analysis of clustered data. Aimed at students of medical statistics, medical researchers,public health practitioners and practising clinicians usingstatistics in their daily work, the book is designed as both ateaching and a reference text. The format of the book is clear withhighlighted formulae and worked examples, so that all concepts arepresented in a simple, practical and easy-to-understand way. Thesecond edition enhances the emphasis on choice of appropriatemethods with new chapters on strategies for analysis and measuresof association and impact. Essential Medical Statistics is supported by a web siteat www.blackwellpublishing.com/essentialmedstats. Thisuseful online resource provides statistical datasets to download,as well as sample chapters and future updates.
  who developed the concept of medical statistics: Medical Statistics from Scratch David Bowers, 2008-04-15 This long awaited second edition of this bestseller continues toprovide a comprehensive, user friendly, down-to-earth guide toelementary statistics. The book presents a detailed account ofthe most important procedures for the analysis of data, from thecalculation of simple proportions, to a variety of statisticaltests, and the use of regression models for modeling of clinicaloutcomes. The level of mathematics is kept to a minimum to make thematerial easily accessible to the novice, and a multitude ofillustrative cases are included in every chapter, drawn from thecurrent research literature. The new edition has beencompletely revised and updated and includes new chapters on basicquantitative methods, measuring survival, measurement scales,diagnostic testing, bayesian methods, meta-analysis and systematicreviews. ... After years of trying and failing, this is the only book onstatistics that i have managed to read and understand - NaveedKirmani, Surgical Registrar, South London Healthcare HHS Trust,UK
  who developed the concept of medical statistics: Medical Statistics Jennifer Peat, Belinda Barton, 2008-04-15 Holistic approach to understanding medical statistics This hands-on guide is much more than a basic medical statistics introduction. It equips you with the statistical tools required for evidence-based clinical research. Each chapter provides a clear step-by-step guide to each statistical test with practical instructions on how to generate and interpret the numbers, and present the results as scientific tables or graphs. Showing you how to: analyse data with the help of data set examples (Click here to download datasets) select the correct statistics and report results for publication or presentation understand and critically appraise results reported in the literature Each statistical test is linked to the research question and the type of study design used. There are also checklists for critically appraising the literature and web links to useful internet sites. Clear and concise explanations, combined with plenty of examples and tabulated explanations are based on the authors’ popular medical statistics courses. Critical appraisal guidelines at the end of each chapter help the reader evaluate the statistical data in their particular contexts.
  who developed the concept of medical statistics: Medical Statistics Stephen J. Walters, Michael J. Campbell, David Machin, 2021-02-01 The 5th edition of this popular introduction to statistics for the medical and health sciences has undergone a significant revision, with several new chapters added and examples refreshed throughout the book. Yet it retains its central philosophy to explain medical statistics with as little technical detail as possible, making it accessible to a wide audience. Helpful multi-choice exercises are included at the end of each chapter, with answers provided at the end of the book. Each analysis technique is carefully explained and the mathematics kept to minimum. Written in a style suitable for statisticians and clinicians alike, this edition features many real and original examples, taken from the authors' combined many years' experience of designing and analysing clinical trials and teaching statistics. Students of the health sciences, such as medicine, nursing, dentistry, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and radiography should find the book useful, with examples relevant to their disciplines. The aim of training courses in medical statistics pertinent to these areas is not to turn the students into medical statisticians but rather to help them interpret the published scientific literature and appreciate how to design studies and analyse data arising from their own projects. However, the reader who is about to design their own study and collect, analyse and report on their own data will benefit from a clearly written book on the subject which provides practical guidance to such issues. The practical guidance provided by this book will be of use to professionals working in and/or managing clinical trials, in academic, public health, government and industry settings, particularly medical statisticians, clinicians, trial co-ordinators. Its practical approach will appeal to applied statisticians and biomedical researchers, in particular those in the biopharmaceutical industry, medical and public health organisations.
  who developed the concept of medical statistics: Advanced Medical Statistics (2nd Edition) Ying Lu, Ji-qian Fang, Lu Tian, Hua Jin, 2015-06-29 The book aims to provide both comprehensive reviews of the classical methods and an introduction to new developments in medical statistics. The topics range from meta analysis, clinical trial design, causal inference, personalized medicine to machine learning and next generation sequence analysis. Since the publication of the first edition, there have been tremendous advances in biostatistics and bioinformatics. The new edition tries to cover as many important emerging areas and reflect as much progress as possible. Many distinguished scholars, who greatly advanced their research areas in statistical methodology as well as practical applications, also have revised several chapters with relevant updates and written new ones from scratch.The new edition has been divided into four sections, including, Statistical Methods in Medicine and Epidemiology, Statistical Methods in Clinical Trials, Statistical Genetics, and General Methods. To reflect the rise of modern statistical genetics as one of the most fertile research areas since the publication of the first edition, the brand new section on Statistical Genetics includes entirely new chapters reflecting the state of the art in the field.Although tightly related, all the book chapters are self-contained and can be read independently. The book chapters intend to provide a convenient launch pad for readers interested in learning a specific topic, applying the related statistical methods in their scientific research and seeking the newest references for in-depth research.
  who developed the concept of medical statistics: Medical Statistics at a Glance Aviva Petrie, Caroline Sabin, 2019-09-30 Now in its fourth edition, Medical Statistics at a Glance is a concise and accessible introduction to this complex subject. It provides clear instruction on how to apply commonly used statistical procedures in an easy-to-read, comprehensive and relevant volume. This new edition continues to be the ideal introductory manual and reference guide to medical statistics, an invaluable companion for statistics lectures and a very useful revision aid. This new edition of Medical Statistics at a Glance: Offers guidance on the practical application of statistical methods in conducting research and presenting results Explains the underlying concepts of medical statistics and presents the key facts without being unduly mathematical Contains succinct self-contained chapters, each with one or more examples, many of them new, to illustrate the use of the methodology described in the chapter. Now provides templates for critical appraisal, checklists for the reporting of randomized controlled trials and observational studies and references to the EQUATOR guidelines for the presentation of study results for many other types of study Includes extensive cross-referencing, flowcharts to aid the choice of appropriate tests, learning objectives for each chapter, a glossary of terms and a glossary of annotated full computer output relevant to the examples in the text Provides cross-referencing to the multiple choice and structured questions in the companion Medical Statistics at a Glance Workbook Medical Statistics at a Glance is a must-have text for undergraduate and post-graduate medical students, medical researchers and biomedical and pharmaceutical professionals.
  who developed the concept of medical statistics: Essential Evidence-Based Medicine Dan Mayer, 2004-06-17 This is an ideal introductory text on Evidence Based Medicine (EBM) for medical students and all health-care professionals.
  who developed the concept of medical statistics: Essential Statistical Methods for Medical Statistics J. Philip Miller, 2010-11-08 Essential Statistical Methods for Medical Statistics presents only key contributions which have been selected from the volume in the Handbook of Statistics: Medical Statistics, Volume 27 (2009). While the use of statistics in these fields has a long and rich history, the explosive growth of science in general, and of clinical and epidemiological sciences in particular, has led to the development of new methods and innovative adaptations of standard methods. This volume is appropriately focused for individuals working in these fields. Contributors are internationally renowned experts in their respective areas. - Contributors are internationally renowned experts in their respective areas - Addresses emerging statistical challenges in epidemiological, biomedical, and pharmaceutical research - Methods for assessing Biomarkers, analysis of competing risks - Clinical trials including sequential and group sequential, crossover designs, cluster randomized, and adaptive designs - Structural equations modelling and longitudinal data analysis
  who developed the concept of medical statistics: Oxford Handbook of Medical Statistics Janet Peacock, Philip Peacock, 2011 The majority of medical research involves quantitative methods and so it is essential to be able to understand and interpret statistics. This book shows readers how to develop the skills required to critically appraise research evidence effectively, and how to conduct research and communicate their findings.
  who developed the concept of medical statistics: Statistics in Medicine Robert H. Riffenburgh, 2006 Medicine deals with treatments that work often but not always, so treatment success must be based on probability. Statistical methods lift medical research from the anecdotal to measured levels of probability. This book presents the common statistical methods used in 90% of medical research, along with the underlying basics, in two parts: a textbook section for use by students in health care training programs, e.g., medical schools or residency training, and a reference section for use by practicing clinicians in reading medical literature and performing their own research. The book does not require a significant level of mathematical knowledge and couches the methods in multiple examples drawn from clinical medicine, giving it applicable context. Easy-to-follow format incorporates medical examples, step-by-step methods, and check yourself exercises Two-part design features course material and a professional reference section Chapter summaries provide a review of formulas, method algorithms, and check lists Companion site links to statistical databases that can be downloaded and used to perform the exercises from the book and practice statistical methods New in this Edition: New chapters on: multifactor tests on means of continuous data, equivalence testing, and advanced methods New topics include: trial randomization, treatment ethics in medical research, imputation of missing data, and making evidence-based medical decisions Updated database coverage and additional exercises Expanded coverage of numbers needed to treat and to benefit, and regression analysis including stepwise regression and Cox regression Thorough discussion on required sample size
  who developed the concept of medical statistics: Principles of Medical Statistics Austin Bradford Hill, 1971
  who developed the concept of medical statistics: An Introduction to Medical Statistics Martin Bland, 2015-07-23 Now in its Fourth Edition, An Introduction to Medical Statistics continues to be a 'must-have' textbook for anyone who needs a clear logical guide to the subject. Written in an easy-to-understand style and packed with real life examples, the text clearly explains the statistical principles used in the medical literature. Taking readers through the common statistical methods seen in published research and guidelines, the text focuses on how to interpret and analyse statistics for clinical practice. Using extracts from real studies, the author illustrates how data can be employed correctly and incorrectly in medical research helping readers to evaluate the statistics they encounter and appropriately implement findings in clinical practice. End of chapter exercises, case studies and multiple choice questions help readers to apply their learning and develop their own interpretative skills. This thoroughly revised edition includes new chapters on meta-analysis, missing data, and survival analysis.
  who developed the concept of medical statistics: The Lady Tasting Tea David Salsburg, 2002-05-01 An insightful, revealing history of the magical mathematics that transformed our world. The Lady Tasting Tea is not a book of dry facts and figures, but the history of great individuals who dared to look at the world in a new way. At a summer tea party in Cambridge, England, a guest states that tea poured into milk tastes different from milk poured into tea. Her notion is shouted down by the scientific minds of the group. But one man, Ronald Fisher, proposes to scientifically test the hypothesis. There is no better person to conduct such an experiment, for Fisher is a pioneer in the field of statistics. The Lady Tasting Tea spotlights not only Fisher's theories but also the revolutionary ideas of dozens of men and women which affect our modern everyday lives. Writing with verve and wit, David Salsburg traces breakthroughs ranging from the rise and fall of Karl Pearson's theories to the methods of quality control that rebuilt postwar Japan's economy, including a pivotal early study on the capacity of a small beer cask at the Guinness brewing factory. Brimming with intriguing tidbits and colorful characters, The Lady Tasting Tea salutes the spirit of those who dared to look at the world in a new way.
  who developed the concept of medical statistics: Medical Statistics Ramakrishna HK, 2016-11-08 This book deals with statistics in medicine in a simple way. The text is supported by abundant examples from medical data. This book aims to explain and simplify the process of data presentation. Further aspects addressed include how to design and conduct clinical trials, and how to write journal articles.
  who developed the concept of medical statistics: Principles of Medical Statistics Alvan R. Feinstein, 2001-09-14 The get-it-over-with-quickly approach to statistics has been encouraged - and often necessitated - by the short time allotted to it in most curriculums. If included at all, statistics is presented briefly, as a task to be endured mainly because pertinent questions may appear in subsequent examinations for licensure or other certifications. However,
  who developed the concept of medical statistics: Modern Medical Statistics Brian S. Everitt, 2010-06-28 Statistical science plays an increasingly important role in medical research. Over the last few decades, many new statistical methods have been developed which have particular relevance for medical researchers and, with the appropriate software now easily available, these techniques can be used almost routinely to great effect. These innovative methods include survival analysis, generalized additive models and Bayesian methods. Modern Medical Statistics covers these essential new techniques at an accessible technical level, its main focus being not on the theory but on the effective practical application of these methods in medical research. Modern Medical Statistics is an indispensable practical guide for medical researchers and medical statisticians as well as an ideal text for advanced courses in medical statistics and public health.
  who developed the concept of medical statistics: Dicing with Death Stephen Senn, 2003-11-20 If you think that statistics has nothing to say about what you do or how you could do it better, then you are either wrong or in need of a more interesting job. Stephen Senn explains here how statistics determines many decisions about medical care, from allocating resources for health, to determining which drugs to license, to cause-and-effect in relation to disease. He tackles big themes: clinical trials and the development of medicines, life tables, vaccines and their risks or lack of them, smoking and lung cancer and even the power of prayer. He entertains with puzzles and paradoxes and covers the lives of famous statistical pioneers. By the end of the book the reader will see how reasoning with probability is essential to making rational decisions in medicine, and how and when it can guide us when faced with choices that impact on our health and even life.
  who developed the concept of medical statistics: Presenting Medical Statistics from Proposal to Publication Janet L. Peacock, Sally M. Kerry, Raymond R. Balise, 2017-07-21 As many medical and healthcare researchers have a love-hate relationship with statistics, the second edition of this practical reference book may make all the difference. Using practical examples, mainly from the authors' own research, the book explains how to make sense of statistics, turn statistical computer output into coherent information, and help decide which pieces of information to report and how to present them. The book takes you through all the stages of the research process, from the initial research proposal, through ethical approval and data analysis, to reporting on and publishing the findings. Helpful tips and information boxes, offer clear guidance throughout, including easily followed instructions on how to: -develop a quantitative research proposal for ethical/institutional approval or research funding -write up the statistical aspects of a paper for publication -choose and perform simple and more advanced statistical analyses -describe the statistical methods and present the results of an analysis. This new edition covers a wider range of statistical programs - SAS, STATA, R, and SPSS, and shows the commands needed to obtain the analyses and how to present it, whichever program you are using. Each specific example is annotated to indicate other scenarios that can be analysed using the same methods, allowing you to easily transpose the knowledge gained from the book to your own research. The principles of good presentation are also covered in detail, from translating relevant results into suitable extracts, through to randomised controlled trials, and how to present a meta-analysis. An added ingredient is the inclusion of code and datasets for all analyses shown in the book on our website (http://medical-statistics.info). Written by three experienced biostatisticians based in the UK and US, this is a step-by-step guide that will be invaluable to researchers and postgraduate students in medicine, those working in the professions allied to medicine, and statisticians in consultancy roles.
  who developed the concept of medical statistics: Statistical Issues in Drug Development Stephen S. Senn, 2008-02-28 Drug development is the process of finding and producingtherapeutically useful pharmaceuticals, turning them into safe andeffective medicine, and producing reliable information regardingthe appropriate dosage and dosing intervals. With regulatoryauthorities demanding increasingly higher standards in suchdevelopments, statistics has become an intrinsic and criticalelement in the design and conduct of drug development programmes. Statistical Issues in Drug Development presents anessential and thought provoking guide to the statistical issues andcontroversies involved in drug development. This highly readable second edition has been updated toinclude: Comprehensive coverage of the design and interpretation ofclinical trials. Expanded sections on missing data, equivalence, meta-analysisand dose finding. An examination of both Bayesian and frequentist methods. A new chapter on pharmacogenomics and expanded coverage ofpharmaco-epidemiology and pharmaco-economics. Coverage of the ICH guidelines, in particular ICH E9,Statistical Principles for Clinical Trials. It is hoped that the book will stimulate dialogue betweenstatisticians and life scientists working within the pharmaceuticalindustry. The accessible and wide-ranging coverage make itessential reading for both statisticians and non-statisticiansworking in the pharmaceutical industry, regulatory bodies andmedical research institutes. There is also much to benefitundergraduate and postgraduate students whose courses include amedical statistics component.
  who developed the concept of medical statistics: Making Sense of Medical Statistics Munier Hossain, 2021-10-21 Do you want to know what a parametric test is and when not to perform one? Do you get confused between odds ratios and relative risks? Want to understand the difference between sensitivity and specificity? Would like to find out what the fuss is about Bayes' theorem? Then this book is for you! Physicians need to understand the principles behind medical statistics. They don't need to learn the formula. The software knows it already! This book explains the fundamental concepts of medical statistics so that the learner will become confident in performing the most commonly used statistical tests. Each chapter is rich in anecdotes, illustrations, questions, and answers. Not enough? There is more material online with links to free statistical software, webpages, multimedia content, a practice dataset to get hands-on with data analysis, and a Single Best Answer questionnaire for the exam.
  who developed the concept of medical statistics: Biostatistics for Medical and Biomedical Practitioners Julien I. E. Hoffman, 2015-09-03 Biostatistics for Practitioners: An Interpretative Guide for Medicine and Biology deals with several aspects of statistics that are indispensable for researchers and students across the biomedical sciences. The book features a step-by-step approach, focusing on standard statistical tests, as well as discussions of the most common errors. The book is based on the author's 40+ years of teaching statistics to medical fellows and biomedical researchers across a wide range of fields. - Discusses how to use the standard statistical tests in the biomedical field, as well as how to make statistical inferences (t test, ANOVA, regression etc.) - Includes non-standards tests, including equivalence or non-inferiority testing, extreme value statistics, cross-over tests, and simple time series procedures such as the runs test and Cusums - Introduces procedures such as multiple regression, Poisson regression, meta-analysis and resampling statistics, and provides references for further studies
  who developed the concept of medical statistics: Know Your Chances Steven Woloshin, Lisa M. Schwartz, H. Gilbert Welch, 2008-11-30 Understanding risk -- Putting risk in perspective -- Risk charts : a way to get perspective -- Judging the benefit of a health intervention -- Not all benefits are equal : understand the outcome -- Consider the downsides -- Do the benefits outweight the downsides? -- Beware of exaggerated importance -- Beware of exaggerated certainty -- Who's behind the numbers?
  who developed the concept of medical statistics: Presenting Medical Statistics from Proposal to Publication Janet L. Peacock, Sally Kerry, 2007 Designed for researchers presenting medical statistics for publication, this guide emphasises the principles of good presentation through examples. It contains tips, information boxes and figures, as well as references for the statistical methods used. It also presents the different stages of the research process.
  who developed the concept of medical statistics: Small Clinical Trials Institute of Medicine, Board on Health Sciences Policy, Committee on Strategies for Small-Number-Participant Clinical Research Trials, 2001-01-01 Clinical trials are used to elucidate the most appropriate preventive, diagnostic, or treatment options for individuals with a given medical condition. Perhaps the most essential feature of a clinical trial is that it aims to use results based on a limited sample of research participants to see if the intervention is safe and effective or if it is comparable to a comparison treatment. Sample size is a crucial component of any clinical trial. A trial with a small number of research participants is more prone to variability and carries a considerable risk of failing to demonstrate the effectiveness of a given intervention when one really is present. This may occur in phase I (safety and pharmacologic profiles), II (pilot efficacy evaluation), and III (extensive assessment of safety and efficacy) trials. Although phase I and II studies may have smaller sample sizes, they usually have adequate statistical power, which is the committee's definition of a large trial. Sometimes a trial with eight participants may have adequate statistical power, statistical power being the probability of rejecting the null hypothesis when the hypothesis is false. Small Clinical Trials assesses the current methodologies and the appropriate situations for the conduct of clinical trials with small sample sizes. This report assesses the published literature on various strategies such as (1) meta-analysis to combine disparate information from several studies including Bayesian techniques as in the confidence profile method and (2) other alternatives such as assessing therapeutic results in a single treated population (e.g., astronauts) by sequentially measuring whether the intervention is falling above or below a preestablished probability outcome range and meeting predesigned specifications as opposed to incremental improvement.
  who developed the concept of medical statistics: Epidemiology and Medical Statistics , 2007-11-21 This volume, representing a compilation of authoritative reviews on a multitude of uses of statistics in epidemiology and medical statistics written by internationally renowned experts, is addressed to statisticians working in biomedical and epidemiological fields who use statistical and quantitative methods in their work. While the use of statistics in these fields has a long and rich history, explosive growth of science in general and clinical and epidemiological sciences in particular have gone through a see of change, spawning the development of new methods and innovative adaptations of standard methods. Since the literature is highly scattered, the Editors have undertaken this humble exercise to document a representative collection of topics of broad interest to diverse users. The volume spans a cross section of standard topics oriented toward users in the current evolving field, as well as special topics in much need which have more recent origins. This volume was prepared especially keeping the applied statisticians in mind, emphasizing applications-oriented methods and techniques, including references to appropriate software when relevant.· Contributors are internationally renowned experts in their respective areas· Addresses emerging statistical challenges in epidemiological, biomedical, and pharmaceutical research· Methods for assessing Biomarkers, analysis of competing risks· Clinical trials including sequential and group sequential, crossover designs, cluster randomized, and adaptive designs· Structural equations modelling and longitudinal data analysis
  who developed the concept of medical statistics: Research Methodology and Medical Statistics Vaidya Vasant Patil, 2024-10-12 In the era of evidence-based medicine, the need to validate and scientifically explore Ayurvedic principles and therapies has become more pertinent than ever. The field of Ayurveda research is evolving, and there is a growing demand for scholars who can integrate traditional wisdom with modern research methodologies. This book, Research Methodology and Medical Statistics, has been written specifically for MD and PhD scholars of Ayurveda, with the aim of guiding them in conducting scientifically robust research that adheres to contemporary standards while respecting the uniqueness of the Ayurvedic system. The book is divided into two major sections: Research Methodology and Medical Statistics, each specifically designed to meet the needs of MD and PhD scholars in Ayurveda. The first section on Research Methodology begins by laying the foundation for scientific inquiry, explaining the principles of formulating research questions, developing hypotheses, and selecting appropriate study designs. Given the unique nature of Ayurvedic treatments, this section covers various research designs, including clinical trials, observational studies, qualitative research, and N-of-1 studies, which can be particularly suitable for personalized Ayurvedic interventions. There is also an in-depth discussion on how to adapt conventional research designs to Ayurvedic contexts, such as accommodating individualized treatment protocols and dynamic diagnostic criteria. Special attention is given to challenges such as the standardization of herbal formulations, validation of Ayurvedic diagnostic tools, and integrating Panchakarma (detoxification therapies) into clinical research. The second section, focusing on Medical Statistics, serves as a valuable resource for understanding the statistical tools and techniques needed for analyzing research data. Statistical analysis is an integral part of research, providing a framework for making sense of collected data and drawing meaningful conclusions. This section introduces fundamental statistical concepts in a manner that is accessible to those who may not have a strong background in mathematics, with examples specifically tailored to Ayurveda. Topics covered include descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, hypothesis testing, correlation, regression, and non-parametric tests.
  who developed the concept of medical statistics: The Future of Public Health Committee for the Study of the Future of Public Health, Division of Health Care Services, Institute of Medicine, 1988-01-15 The Nation has lost sight of its public health goals and has allowed the system of public health to fall into 'disarray', from The Future of Public Health. This startling book contains proposals for ensuring that public health service programs are efficient and effective enough to deal not only with the topics of today, but also with those of tomorrow. In addition, the authors make recommendations for core functions in public health assessment, policy development, and service assurances, and identify the level of government--federal, state, and local--at which these functions would best be handled.
  who developed the concept of medical statistics: Introductory Medical Statistics, 3rd edition Richard F. Mould, 1998-01-01 Introductory Medical Statistics, now in its third edition, is an introductory textbook on basic statistical techniques. It is written for physicians, surgeons, radiation oncologists, medical physicists, radiographers, hospital administrators, medical statisticians in training, biochemists, and other professionals allied to medicine. It is suitable
  who developed the concept of medical statistics: To Err Is Human Institute of Medicine, Committee on Quality of Health Care in America, 2000-03-01 Experts estimate that as many as 98,000 people die in any given year from medical errors that occur in hospitals. That's more than die from motor vehicle accidents, breast cancer, or AIDSâ€three causes that receive far more public attention. Indeed, more people die annually from medication errors than from workplace injuries. Add the financial cost to the human tragedy, and medical error easily rises to the top ranks of urgent, widespread public problems. To Err Is Human breaks the silence that has surrounded medical errors and their consequenceâ€but not by pointing fingers at caring health care professionals who make honest mistakes. After all, to err is human. Instead, this book sets forth a national agendaâ€with state and local implicationsâ€for reducing medical errors and improving patient safety through the design of a safer health system. This volume reveals the often startling statistics of medical error and the disparity between the incidence of error and public perception of it, given many patients' expectations that the medical profession always performs perfectly. A careful examination is made of how the surrounding forces of legislation, regulation, and market activity influence the quality of care provided by health care organizations and then looks at their handling of medical mistakes. Using a detailed case study, the book reviews the current understanding of why these mistakes happen. A key theme is that legitimate liability concerns discourage reporting of errorsâ€which begs the question, How can we learn from our mistakes? Balancing regulatory versus market-based initiatives and public versus private efforts, the Institute of Medicine presents wide-ranging recommendations for improving patient safety, in the areas of leadership, improved data collection and analysis, and development of effective systems at the level of direct patient care. To Err Is Human asserts that the problem is not bad people in health careâ€it is that good people are working in bad systems that need to be made safer. Comprehensive and straightforward, this book offers a clear prescription for raising the level of patient safety in American health care. It also explains how patients themselves can influence the quality of care that they receive once they check into the hospital. This book will be vitally important to federal, state, and local health policy makers and regulators, health professional licensing officials, hospital administrators, medical educators and students, health caregivers, health journalists, patient advocatesâ€as well as patients themselves. First in a series of publications from the Quality of Health Care in America, a project initiated by the Institute of Medicine
  who developed the concept of medical statistics: Practical Statistics for Medical Research Douglas G. Altman, 1990-11-22 Practical Statistics for Medical Research is a problem-based text for medical researchers, medical students, and others in the medical arena who need to use statistics but have no specialized mathematics background. The author draws on twenty years of experience as a consulting medical statistician to provide clear explanations to key statistical concepts, with a firm emphasis on practical aspects of designing and analyzing medical research. Using real data and including dozens of interesting data sets, this bestselling text gives special attention to the presentation and interpretation of results and the many real problems that arise in medical research.
  who developed the concept of medical statistics: Statistics for Health Care Professionals Ian Scott, Debbie Mazhindu, 2005-01-13 Statistics for Health Care Professionals is an accessible guide to understanding statistics within health care practice. Focusing on quantitative approaches to investigating problems, the book introduces the basic rules and principles of statistics. Challenging the notion that statistics are often incomprehensible and complex to use, the authors begin by presenting a `how to' section explaining how specific statistical tests can be performed. They also help readers to understand the language of statistics, which is often a stumbling block for those coming to the subject for the first time. The reader is taught how to calculate statistics by hand as well as being introduced to computer packages to make life easier, and then how to analyse these results. As the results of health care research are so integral to decision-making and developing new practice within the profession, the book encourages the reader to think critically about data analysis and research design, and how these can impact upon evidence based practice. This critical stance is also crucial in the assessment of the many reports and documents issued within the health industry. Statistics for Health Care Professionals includes practical examples of statistical techniques throughout, and the exercises within and at the end of each chapter help readers to learn and to develop proficiency. There is also a glossary at the end of the book for quick and easy referencing. This book is essential reading for those coming to statistics for the first time within a health care setting.
  who developed the concept of medical statistics: Design and Analysis of DNA Microarray Investigations Richard M. Simon, Edward L. Korn, Lisa M. McShane, Michael D. Radmacher, George W. Wright, Yingdong Zhao, 2006-05-09 The analysis of gene expression profile data from DNA micorarray studies are discussed in this book. It provides a review of available methods and presents it in a manner that is intelligible to biologists. It offers an understanding of the design and analysis of experiments utilizing microarrays to benefit scientists. It includes an Appendix tutorial on the use of BRB-ArrayTools and step by step analyses of several major datasets using this software which is available from the National Cancer Institute.
  who developed the concept of medical statistics: Using and Understanding Medical Statistics D.E. Matthews, V.T. Farewell, 2015-07-02 The fifth revised edition of this highly successful book presents the most extensive enhancement since Using and Understanding Medical Statistics was first published 30 years ago. Without question, the single greatest change has been the inclusion of source code, together with selected output, for the award-winning, open-source, statistical package known as R. This innovation has enabled the authors to de-emphasize formulae and calculations, and let software do all of the ‘heavy lifting’. This edition also introduces readers to several graphical statistical tools, such as Q-Q plots to check normality, residual plots for multiple regression models, funnel plots to detect publication bias in a meta-analysis and Bland-Altman plots for assessing agreement in clinical measurements. New examples that better serve the expository goals have been added to a half-dozen chapters. In addition, there are new sections describing exact confidence bands for the Kaplan-Meier estimator, as well as negative binomial and zero-inflated Poisson regression models for over-dispersed count data. The end result is not only an excellent introduction to medical statistics, but also an invaluable reference for every discerning reader of medical research literature.
  who developed the concept of medical statistics: Medical Statistics Made Easy, fourth edition Michael Harris, Gordon Taylor, 2020-09-15 Contains all you need to know to understand statistics in medicine. Medical Statistics Made Easy has been a perennial bestseller since the first edition was published (it is consistently a #1 bestseller in medical statistics on Amazon). It is recommended worldwide on a variety of courses and programmes, from undergraduate medicine, through to professional medical qualifications. It is a book of key statistics principles for anyone studying or working in medicine and healthcare who needs a basic overview of the subject. It is ideal for non-statisticians who need to understand how statistics are used and applied in medicine and medical research. Using a consistent format, the authors describe the most common statistical methods in turn and then rate them on how difficult they are to understand and how common they are. The worked examples that demonstrate the statistical method in action have been updated to include current articles from the medical literature and now feature a wider range of medical journals. This fourth edition continues with the same structure as the previous editions, with new sections on cut-off points and ROC curves, as well as a new chapter on choosing the right statistical test. It also features a completely revised and updated 'Statistics at work' section.
  who developed the concept of medical statistics: Medical Biostatistics Abhaya Indrayan, Rajeev Kumar Malhotra, 2017-11-27 Encyclopedic in breadth, yet practical and concise, Medical Biostatistics, Fourth Edition focuses on the statistical aspects ofmedicine with a medical perspective, showing the utility of biostatistics as a tool to manage many medical uncertainties. This edition includes more topics in order to fill gaps in the previous edition. Various topics have been enlarged and modified as per the new understanding of the subject.
  who developed the concept of medical statistics: Medical Statistics at a Glance Aviva Petrie, Caroline Sabin, 2019-07-23 Now in its fourth edition, Medical Statistics at a Glance is a concise and accessible introduction to this complex subject. It provides clear instruction on how to apply commonly used statistical procedures in an easy-to-read, comprehensive and relevant volume. This new edition continues to be the ideal introductory manual and reference guide to medical statistics, an invaluable companion for statistics lectures and a very useful revision aid. This new edition of Medical Statistics at a Glance: Offers guidance on the practical application of statistical methods in conducting research and presenting results Explains the underlying concepts of medical statistics and presents the key facts without being unduly mathematical Contains succinct self-contained chapters, each with one or more examples, many of them new, to illustrate the use of the methodology described in the chapter. Now provides templates for critical appraisal, checklists for the reporting of randomized controlled trials and observational studies and references to the EQUATOR guidelines for the presentation of study results for many other types of study Includes extensive cross-referencing, flowcharts to aid the choice of appropriate tests, learning objectives for each chapter, a glossary of terms and a glossary of annotated full computer output relevant to the examples in the text Provides cross-referencing to the multiple choice and structured questions in the companion Medical Statistics at a Glance Workbook Medical Statistics at a Glance is a must-have text for undergraduate and post-graduate medical students, medical researchers and biomedical and pharmaceutical professionals.