Teaching code

4S010589

Teacher

Lucia Cazzoletti

Coordinator

Lucia Cazzoletti

Credits

6

Language

Italian

Scientific Disciplinary Sector (SSD)

MED/01 - MEDICAL STATISTICS

Period

1° semestre dal Oct 1, 2024 al Jan 31, 2025.

Courses Single

Not Authorized

Lessons timetable Moodle Seminars 0

Learning objectives

The course in theoretical and applied Medical Statistics andEpidemiology aims at providing students with basic statistical knowledge, necessary to correctly interpret quantitative data from groups of individuals, by separating general mathematical laws from inter-individual variability. For this purpose, the main concepts of descriptive statistics, probability theory and inferential statistics will be presented, along with the main elements of descriptive, analytic and evaluative epidemiology. The illustration of statistical and epidemiological theory will be integrated with computer practice, where students will be asked to solve simple exercises by using a spreadsheet or freely available simple statistical software. Statistical and epidemiological methods will be applied to the health sciences, with particular focus on human nutrition. On completion of the course, the student should be able to appropriately describe the information collected on a group of patients, generalize the information provided by a sample to the source population, estimate disease frequency in human populations and evaluate related risk factors, particularly in the nutritional field.

Examination methods The exam consists of a written verification also with exercises of the level of knowledge on the course topics.
To pass the exam, students will have to prove their understanding of basic statistical and epidemiological concepts. In addition, students will be asked to solve simple exercises in the nutritional field, by applying statistical-epidemiological methods. Students will be asked not only to correctly perform.

Prerequisites and basic notions

The student should have basic knowledge of mathematics, which has already been the subject of the admission test.

Program

The course is divided into theoretical lectures and hands-on sessions using free online worksheets or statistical software.
The main topics that will be presented are:
DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS: Different measurement scales – Statistical variables and their presentation through frequency distributions: one-entry or double-entry tables – Measures of central tendency: mean (arithmetic, geometric, weighted), median, mode, percentiles – Measures of dispersion: range, interquartile range, sum of squares, variance (mean square), standard deviation, variation coefficient.
PROBABILITY: Classic, frequentist, subjective interpretations of probability – Sum and product rules of probability – Independent and dependent events and conditional probability – Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value of a diagnostic test – ROC curves – Bayes theorem and its application to differential diagnosis - Random variables - Probability distributions of a random variable: normal and binomial distribution
SAMPLING: Population and sample; basics of sampling theory - The sampling distribution of an estimator (sample mean).
STATISTICAL INFERENCE: Point and interval estimates: confidence interval - The logic of the hypothesis test: null hypothesis and alternative hypothesis; type I and II error; power of a test - Choice of statistical test.
EPIDEMIOLOGY: The objects of epidemiological research (outcome, occurrence parameter, determinant); Disease frequency measures: prevalence, incidence - Association measures: attributable risk, relative risk, odds ratio - Study design: cross-sectional, cohort and case-control study. Causal interpretation of an empirical association (causal models, random error, bias, confounding). The modification of the measure of effect.
INTRODUCTION TO NUTRITIONAL EPIDEMIOLOGY: Notes on the methods of investigation and statistical analysis used in the field of nutritional epidemiology: use of the Food Frequency Questionnaires; statistical methods for the determination of nutrients and dietary patterns
LABORATORY: health statistics and epidemiology exercises using a free statistical spreadsheet or program.

Didactic methods

The training will include frontal lessons in the classroom and exercises using statistical tools or free online spreadsheets to solve healthcare problems.

Evaluation criteria

The exam will evaluate not only the acquisition of statistical knowledge, but also the ability to adopt it critically to solve health problems. One point will be awarded for each correct answer, and zero points for incorrect or missing answers.

Exam language

Italiano