Principles of Statistics for Surgeons II Descriptive or Summary Statistics

Authors

  • Panuwat Lertsithichai Department of Surgery, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Thailand

Keywords:

Descriptive statistics, Summary statistics

Abstract

The present article reviews the basic ideas behind summary or descriptive statistics. The types of data commonly seen in medical practice and research are introduced and described. Descriptive statistics appropriate for each type of data are presented and discussed. Motivations for these summaries are provided from a theoretical as well as practical point of view. The data set from a comparative study of laparoscopic methods for the treatment of morbid obesity is used as an illustration. Numerical exercises are provided at the end of the article. The introductory material in the article should help the reader begin his or her study of basic medical statistics.

References

1. Hill AB. Principles of medical statistics. 8th ed. New York: Oxford University Press; 1966. p. 51.

2. Fisher RA. Theory of statistical estimation. Proc Camb Philo Soc 1925; 22:700-25.

3. Vitoonpinyopab K, Angkoolpakdeekul T, Lertsithichai P, Shortterm outcomes of two laparoscopic procedures for morbid obesity (abstract). Rama Med J 2009; 32 (Supp):421-2.

4. Armitage P, Berry G, Statistical methods in medical research. 3rd ed. Oxford: Blackwell Scientific Publications; 1994. p, 14-26.

5. Lang TA, Secic M. How to report statistics in medicine. Philadelphia: American College of Physicians; 1997.

6. Hogg RV, Craig AT, Introduction to mathematical statistics. 5th ed. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall; 1995. p. 307-40.

7. Pearson K. Contributions to the mathematical theory of evolution. Phil Trans R Soc Lond A 1894; 185:71-110.

8. Casella G, Berger RL. Statistical inference. 2nd ed. Duxbury: Thomson Learning Inc.; 2002. p. 226-32, 275-6.

9. McCullagh P, Nelder JA. Generalized linear models. 2nd ed. London: Chapman & Hall; 1989. p. 151-9.

10. Fisher LD, van Belle G. Biostatistics. New York: John Wi Sons; 1993. p. 317-8.

Downloads

Published

2011-03-31

How to Cite

1.
Lertsithichai P. Principles of Statistics for Surgeons II Descriptive or Summary Statistics. Thai J Surg [Internet]. 2011 Mar. 31 [cited 2024 Dec. 23];32(1):1-8. Available from: https://he02.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/ThaiJSurg/article/view/249028

Issue

Vol. 32 No. 1 (2011): January - March

Section

Review Articles

License

Articles must be contributed solely to The Thai Journal of Surgery and when published become the property of the Royal College of Surgeons of Thailand. The Royal College of Surgeons of Thailand reserves copyright on all published materials and such materials may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission.