Introduction to medical statistics (Q1852964)

The orientation to specific medical problems and to medical readers allows certain simplifications and concentrations to basic statistical methods and to basic probability theory (central limit theorem inclusive). First, `descriptive methods' (graphical, characteristics) are introduced. Bivariate statistics (correlations, regression, contingency tables) follow. Elementary probability theory and the theory of conditional probabilities are applied to diagnostic tests. Four chapters are devoted to estimation and hypotheses testing. Various survival models are studied. The planning of medical studies is explained not only using statistical terms, but also with respect to organisation and ethic aspects. The starting point of epidemiologic applications are four terms: the proportion, the ratio, the rate (``intensity'') and the chance (odds). Basic elements of medical demography (characteristics of mortality) are also given. An overview on documentation and information methodology completes the book.