39366 - Medical Statistics for Health Care

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student must possess knowledge and skills that extend and strengthen the contents of the nursing and midwifery sciences acquired in the first cycle in relation to statistics.

Course contents

The course covers the following topics:

Overview of the search process. Purpose and methods of literature analysis. Identify and develop the research problem. Present the hypothesis.

Statistical concepts and study design. The motivation for statistical analysis. Basic concepts of statistical techniques. Description. Inference. Sample selection.

Construction of research databases.

Parametric techniques. The relationships and correlation between variables. Regression. T test and ANOVA.

Nominal and ordinal data. Differences between groups. Compare expected and observed data.

Measurements and probabilities. The measurement error. Measurement scales.

Quantitative research. Observational and experimental research. Experimental designs.

Epidemiology, diagnostic performance and survival analysis.

As regards skills, the student will learn the basics of statistical analysis of data from the clinical field, and to read scientific articles of the same origin with a critical point of view.

Readings/Bibliography

Martin Bland. Statistica medica. Maggioli Editore.

Daniele Coen. L'arte della probabilità. Raffaello Cortina Editore.

Salaffi, Scirè, Monti, Argnani. Metodologia della ricerca clinica ed epidemiologica. Mattioli 1885.

Teaching methods

Lezioni frontali ed esercitazioni pratiche con strumenti di calcolo e di statistica. Analisi e lettura critica di articoli scientifici inerenti le materie del CdL.

Assessment methods

Written exam (quiz plus any open-ended question)

THE EXAM CONSISTS OF 10 QUIZZES. 3 POINTS FOR EACH CORRECT ANSWER. SOME QUESTIONS MAY HAVE MORE THAN ONE CORRECT ANSWER (2 OUT OF 3), IN THIS CASE EACH OF THEM COUNTS 1.5 POINTS. IF 1 CORRECT ANSWER AND 1 WRONG ANSWER IS CROSSED OUT WITHIN THE SAME QUESTION, THIS ANSWER IS INVALIDATED AND DOES NOT RESULT IN A SCORE. FOR THE PERFECT ASSIGNMENT THE GRADE IS 30 WITH HONORS. IN THE CASE OF A MINOR ERROR (E.G. ANSWER TO AN OPEN QUESTION IF PRESENT NOT COMPLETE OR DIFFICULT TO READ OR 1 ANSWER OUT OF 2 OF THE CORRECT) THE GRADE IS 30.

Teaching tools

PowerPoint slides will be used as a teaching tool. PDFs of the slides will be made available to students.

Any students with DSA are asked to contact the teacher in advance, to discuss possible changes to the materials, or additional supports, as well as the exam method.

Office hours

See the website of Lisa Argnani