Introducti

on to
Statistics

Community and Public Health-Lecture

INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICS
● The students are introduced to
– 1. basic concepts in statistics and
– 2. analysis and presentation of public
health data.
● The session will also provide students with
basic tools needed to manage, analyze and
interpret information and statistics.
STATISTICS
As a METHOD it refers to orderly processes of data
collection, organization, presentation and interpretation
(tabulation of data, computation of rates and frequency
distribution, graphic presentation)

As a DATA it refers to quantitative data affected to a

marked extent by a multiplicity of causes.

– Data are collected in order to measure:

• (number of deaths, births, specific
diseases, hospital
admissions)
BRANCHES OF STATISTICS

DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS INFERENTIAL STATISTICS

 Statistical techniques for  Concerned in making estimates,
summarizing and presenting data predictions, generalizations, and
in a form that will make them conclusions about a target
easier to analyze and interpret population based on information
 EX. Counts, proportions, tables, from a sample
graphs, summary measures  1. Estimation
 2. Hypothesis testing
 Classification of Statistical Data
Demographic Health Status Health Resources Health-related Socio-
economic
Environmental Factors

 Ex.  Ex. Causes and  Ex. Number and  Ex. Water

Population distribution of distribution of supply, excreta
size, age, sex, mortality and health facilities, disposal, school
geographic morbidity as to health enrollment, food
distribution, residence, manpower, establishment,
mortality, place of health transports, food
morbidity, occurrence, expenditures. intake/habit
growth rate age, sex
STATISTICS

The term statistics refers to

both the numbers that
describe the health of
populations and the
science that helps to
interpret those
numbers.
Uses of
• Problems of Estimates
Statistics
• Problems of Comparison
• Health need Identification
• Analysis of Problem and Trends
• Epidemiologic Evaluation
• Program Planning
• Budget Preparation and
Justification
• Administrative Decision Making
• Health Education
Variable - measurement of a
characteristic

Qualitati
TYPES OF VARIABLE Quantitati
ve
• numerical representation of
ve
• values indicate a
the categories are for quantity or amount and
labeling/coding and NOT for can be expressed
comparison numerically

• Examples: sex, religion, • values can be arranged

place of according to magnitude
residence, disease status
• Ex. age, height, weight,
BIOSTATISTICS
LEVELS OF MEASUREMENTS EXAMPLES
Nominal a classificatory scale where the sex, race, blood group,
categories are used as labels only patient ID

Ordinal used for categories which can be likert scale, psychosocial

ordered or ranked scale

Interval same characteristics as ordinal; zero temperature, IQ

point is arbitrary and does not mean
absence of the characteristic
Ratio same characteristics as ordinal; a weight, BP, height, doctor
meaningful zero point exist visits
ORGANIZATIO
N OF
DATA
TABULATION
• It refers to the arrangement of
any data in an orderly sequence, so
that they can be presented
concisely and compactly and so
that they can be understood easily
Types of data for
Tabulation
1 Frequency distribution
– Data are grouped according to
some scale of classification, where
the sum of the entries is equal to the
total.
2. Correlation data
- used to compare two or more
frequencies
3. Time series data
- some variable changes over a
period of time is the one being
Parts of a Table
• Title- it should state the objective of the table.
• Stubs- indicate the basis of classification of the
rows or horizontal series of figures
• Column headings- indicate the basis of
classification of the columns or vertical series of
figures.
• Body of the table- this is made up of the
figures filling the cells or compartments brought
about by the coordinates of rows and columns
• Marginal Totals- refer to the column totals and
row totals
• Footnote- indicate the source of information
Worldwide Incidence of Malaria 2000-2009
GRAPHING
• The purpose is to convey a simpler idea of what
the statistical table contains .
• Statistical graph:
– a series of lines joined together, bars or
enclosed areas, drawn to represent certain
statistical information under consideration.
• Intended for comparison, to show correlation
• For the purpose of data presentation
• Primary tools for presentation and analysis.
Parts of a Graph

• Legend- this is needed when one is drawing more

than one graph in a graphing space.
– This clarifies to what particular item each of
the graph refers.
– It is placed either at the bottom of the graph
or as close as possible to the figures being identified.

• Body of the graph- these are the lines, bars or

figures drawn within the graphing
space.
Parts of a Graph
Title- indicate clearly and briefly what the figures in
the body of the graph stand for, how the data
were classified, and where and when obtained.
– This is placed at the bottom of the
graph, preceded by number for
easy reference.
Axis- a graph has 2 axes, the vertical and the
horizontal:
• Each represents separate scales of
classification corresponding to the row and column
headings of the table being graphically
presented.
• One of the axes is always quantitative scale
Different Types of
Graphs
• Line graphs
– Used to graph
time series data depict
trends or changes
with time with
respect to some other
variables
Different Types of
Graphs
Histogram
- used to graph
continuous variables.
Agraphical
representation, similar
to a bar chart in
structure, that
organizes a group of
data points into user-
specified ranges.
Different Types of
Graphs
• Polygon- Used to graph continuous variables
Different Types of
Graphs
Bar or stick graph- used to graph qualitative variables
and discontinuous variables of the quantitative variety.
Different Types of
Graphs
Pictorial Diagram- usually in the form of rectangles,
square or circles (pies), used to depict the distribution of a whole
with different segments representing different frequencies
Different Types of
Graphs
Scatter Point Diagram- used to show relationship of
simultaneous measurement
END OF
PRESENTATION