An Introduction to Medical Statistics (Oxford Medical Publications)

By Martin Bland

Book Overview

Now in its Third Edition, An Introduction to Medical Statistics continues to be and invaluable textbook for medical students, doctors, medical researchers, nurses, members of professionals allied to medicine as well as those concerned with medical data. The material covered includes all the statistical work that would be required for a course in medicine and for the examinations of most of the Royal Colleges. It includes the design of clinical trials and epidemiological studies, data collection, summarizing and presenting data, probability, standard error, confidence intervals and significance tests, techniques of data analysis including multifactorial methods and the choice of statistical method, problems of medical measurement and diagnosis, vital statistics, and calculation of sample size. The new edition describes the design and analysis of medical research studies in a clear and user friendly manner. The third edition includes new topics such as consent in clinical trials, design and analysis of cluster-randomized trials, ecological studies, conditional probability, repeated testing, random effects models, intraclass correlation and conditional odds ratios. Material which is encountered only at the postgraduate level has been indicated clearly in the text to facilitate ease or use. The book is firmly grounded in medical data, particularly in medical research, and includes real illustrative examples. There are 100 multiple choice questions and 17 long questions involving calculations to which fully explained solutions are provided. A new companion volume, Statisitical questions in evidence based medicine (Bland & Peacock, 2000) refers directly to this new edition. This new book of questions and answers includes no calculations and is complementary to the exercises given here.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0192632698
• ISBN13: 9780192632692
• Release Date: September 2000
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Length: 405 Pages
• Weight: 1.41 lbs.
• Dimensions: 5.9" x 1.0" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

More than meets the eye

While titled an Introduction, this book contains a wealth of detail, strategy, practical examples and generous sharing of the author's experience, including traps for the unwary. I like the author's direct, self-effacing style and how every topic receives broad coverage. It is not a HOW TO book, but an education, if you are prepared to absorb all it has to offer.

well-written text

This is the second edition of an excellent introductory text for medical students similar to Doug Altman's. Bland covers the basics: designing clinical trials and epidemiological studies, data collection, summarizing data, basic probability, standard errors and confidence intervals along with tests of significance (both parametric and nonparametric). Various types of regression methods are covered and this edition adds Cox proportional hazards models and meta-analysis. Many exercises and examples are taken from Bland's 20 years of experience as a medical statistician. It is noteworthy for dealing with sample size issues in Chapter 18. Mortality statistics and life tables are covered in Chapter 16. The book is not quite as advanced as Altman's.

review

Seems a good basic sufficent stand-alone stats book for medical professional (ie non specialised statistician), although admittedly I haven't used many others to compare, covering a comprehensive cross section of the commonly used medical science stats techniques, with excellent basic maths / stats principles that are relatively easy to understand for those with a basic mathematics background (higher secondary school). Possibly too light on for some more complex stat techniques (eg multi-variate analysis - eg no mention of cluster or hierarchial or other specifically indicated analysis etc.) - ie newer edition mayn't have moved sufficiently with the times. Nonetheless a good solid stats background, very readable, and responsible in imploring appropiate use of stats. Very usable reference and / or learning book.

Start Here for Medical Statistics

Clearly and logically set out starting with the reasons for medical statistics and how studies are designed and moving logically to the methods used. All practicing doctors need to know something about medical statistics. This is a very good place to start. It is written for non-mathematicians but has enough mathematics to justify the information presented and stimulate further interest. It is a relatively short book with clear logical explanations rather than flashy illustrations and computer graphics. Also provides exercises, essential in all mathematical subjects.