MATH 225 Week 1: Basic Statistics Data Used in Everyday Life
Basic Statistics Data Used in Everyday Life
In health care, examples of two very common types of data include blood pressure and pain rating scales. Blood pressure is a continuous variable because the value represents the amount of pressure generated by the blood impressing on the artery walls, in millimeters of mercury, mmHg. This variable is an item of ratio level of measurement because it has a true value at the level of zero, that is, there is no pressure, and the values can be meaningfully compared. In the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, it is shown that it is imperative to keep the blood pressure at a normal level (Fuchs & Whelton, 2020), and it becomes one of the most important statistics used in healthcare. It is, therefore, very crucial to understand and monitor blood pressure for the management of general health and prevention of serious medical conditions.
On the other hand, the pain rating scale represents a range of markings utilized in ordinally grading the subjective pain nature the patient experiences. Ordinal scales are obtained by ranking such as “none,” “mild,” “moderate”, and “severe.” The classification as ordinal arises from the fact that while the categories indicate a rank order, the intervals between them are not uniform or quantifiable. Precise estimates of pain are important for successful pain management interventions in the clinical environment, which indicates the importance of this outcome measure (Chakrabarti et al., 2020). Therefore, pain scales are important in prescribing individual treatment and in optimizing the care of a patient.
A stratified sampling plan could be conducted to collect information on each of these variables. This could be accomplished by first breaking the population into strata, such as age or sex strata, and then randomly sampling within the strata. Stratified sampling confirms the representation across multiple demographics which, in turn, increases the validity of the results. Specifically, it is of great utility in healthcare research studies, where variables such as blood pressure and the perception of pain can be very unequal between different subgroups (Huo et al., 2023). This method also allows for increased generalizability of results and a truer representation of the heterogeneity in the population.
References
Chakrabarti, S., Hore, Z., Pattison, L. A., Lalnunhlimi, S., Bhebhe, C. N., Callejo, G., Bulmer, D. C., Taams, L. S., Denk, F., & Smith, E. St. J. (2020). Sensitization of knee-innervating sensory neurons by tumor necrosis factor-α-activated fibroblast-like synoviocytes: an in vitro, coculture model of inflammatory pain. Pain, 161(9), 2129–2141. https://doi.org/10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001890
Fuchs, F. D., & Whelton, P. K. (2020). High blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. Hypertension, 75(2), 285–292. https://doi.org/10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.119.14240
Huo, T., Glueck, D. H., Shenkman, L., & Muller, K. E. (2023). Stratified split sampling of electronic health records. BMC Medical Research Methodology, 23(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12874-023-01938-0
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Basic Statistics Data Used in Everyday Life
Discussion
Required Resources
Read/review the following resources for this activity:
- OpenStax Textbook: Chapter 1
- Lesson 1 Reading
- Minimum of 1 scholarly source and 1 appropriate resource such as the textbook, math video, and/or math website
In your reference for this assignment, be sure to include both your text/class materials and your outside reading(s).
Initial Post Instructions
- Present two different types of data, or variables, used in the health field. Examples could be blood pressure, temperature, pH, pain rating scales, pulse oximetry, % hematocrit, minute respiration, gender, age, ethnicity, etc.
- Classify each of your variables as qualitative or quantitative and explain why they fall into the category that you chose.
- Also, classify each of the variables as to their level of measurement—nominal, ordinal, interval, or ratio—and justify your classifications.
- Which type of sampling could you use to gather your data? (stratified, cluster, systematic, and convenience sampling)
Follow-up Post Instructions
Respond to at least one peer. Further the dialogue by providing more information and clarification.
Your responses to other students can explain additional analyses that could be done with the variables they selected. Consider confounding variables, discrete or continuous data, the effects of outliers, etc.
Writing Requirements
- Minimum of 2 posts (1 initial & 1 follow-up)
- APA format for in-text citations and list of references
Grading
This activity will be graded using the Discussion Grading Rubric.
- Review: Discussion Guidelines
- Review the specific grading rubric by clicking on the three dots in the upper right corner.
Course Outcomes
- CO 1: Identify potential errors and bias in data collection and sampling techniques in real-world applications.
- CO 2: Compare types of data found in statistical studies.
Due Dates
Due date for the initial post: By 11:59 p.m. MT; recommended by Wednesday
Due date for follow-up posts: By 11:59 p.m. MT on Sunday
Posts must be on two separate days.
Discussion Grading Rubric_Gen Ed_ JAN21
| Criteria | Ratings | Pts | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeInitial Post Content |
|
7 pts | ||||
| This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeInitial Post Evidence & Sources |
|
4 pts | ||||
| This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeFollow-up Post |
|
8 pts | ||||
| This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeProfessional Communication |
|
4 pts | ||||
| This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeFrequency of Responses |
|
2 pts | ||||
| Total Points: 25 | ||||||
