The course aims to provide the essential skills for understanding and applying the principles of statistics in the field of medical sciences. The course intends to develop the ability to analyse quantitative data, interpret the results of scientific studies, and make informed decisions based on statistical evidence. Expected learning outcomes Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:
Explain the basic concepts of descriptive statistics, including the definition and classification of variables, frequency distributions, and measures of central tendency and dispersion. Explain the operating characteristics of a diagnostic test. Explain the concepts of measurement reliability and bias. Calculate the appropriate accuracy and agreement indices for diagnostic tests based on the type of variable.
Teaching Methods
The course includes both lectures and practical activities. Lectures will be accompanied by presentations projected in the classroom, which will be made available to students the day before the lecture. Some lectures will include "quick tests" carried out collectively with group discussion. Throughout the course, exercises are assigned to be completed at home and corrected in class, in order to prepare students for the exercises included in the final exam. Both the "quick tests" and the exercise corrections allow students to self-assess their learning and, at the same time, enable the instructor to monitor the class's progress in knowledge acquisition.
Contents
The lectures will cover the following topics:
Concept of variable, calculation of frequencies and frequency distributions Descriptive statistics: measures of central tendency and symmetry, measures of dispersion, graphical representation of data Concepts of measurement and measurement error Reliability of measurements: validity, accuracy, and precision Precision of measurements and random error, agreement measures for qualitative and quantitative variables
Course Language
Italian
More information
The instructor encourages students to ask questions during lectures to clarify any doubts. Additionally, the instructor is available to meet with students by appointment, to be arranged via email: emanuelemaria.giusti@uninsubria.it
