Analyzing a Health Care Data Set
Overview
Public health researchers are often involved in collaborating in the design, development, and analysis of community initiatives of varying complexity. While this course alone will not provide sufficient training for you to act as a statistical consultant, it does offer a broad and practice-based analytic foundation that can position you to better understand and more fully contribute to real-world project teams. Building on the basic statistical concepts and analytical techniques of the previous units, this assignment is an opportunity to use your cumulative quantitative-analysis skills to address a broad set of real-world research questions.
Demonstration of Proficiency
By successfully completing this assessment you will address the following Scoring Guide Criteria, which align to the indicated course competencies.
Competency 2: Apply appropriate statistical methods using common software tools in the collection and evaluation of health care data.
Perform the most appropriate parametric or non parametric test to answer each question.
Competency 3: Interpret the results and practical significance of statistical health care data analyses.
Assess the assumption of normal distribution prior to analysis.
Appropriately interpret the statistical output (such as estimate, p-value, confidence interval, and effect size) resulting from each statistical test.
Summarize the clinical implications, significance, and potential limitations of the study data and outcomes.
Competency 4: Assess the quality of quantitative research methods reported in peer-reviewed health care literature.
Describe the practical significance of the results of statistical tests.
Competency 5: Address assignment purpose in a well-organized text, incorporating appropriate evidence and tone in grammatically sound sentences.
Write clearly, accurately, and professionally.
Cite sources appropriately, using APA formatting.
Instructions
Complete the following for this two-part assignment:
Part 1: Yoga and Stress Study Statistical Tests
Using the data set linked in Resources, determine the measurement level of data of the dependent or outcome variable (Psychological Stress Score) you are analyzing.
Is the data categorical, ordinal, or interval or ratio?
Before performing any statistical tests, you must determine which tests would be most appropriate for your data type.
First, perform a pre-evaluation of the data for outliers (all variables) and normal distribution (only dependent variables) as you have done previously.
Then, use How to Choose a Statistical Test (linked in Resources) as general guidance in helping you to decide which test to use.
Use the readings, media, resources, and textbook as guides to perform an analysis of the selected variables.
Perform and interpret an appropriate series of statistical tests (including pre-analytical testing for outliers and normal distribution of data) that answer the following research questions:
How would you quantitatively describe the study population?
Summarize the primary demographic data using descriptive statistics.
Is there any association between gender and race in this military study?
Perform an appropriate chi-square analysis.
Perform preliminary assessment of the data, then compare pretest to post-test scores.
In the total population being studied, what was the effect of the yoga intervention on stress?
Provide the SPSS “.sav” output file that shows your programming and results for this assignment.
Part 2: Interpretive Report
Summarize the clinical implications related to the statistical outcomes for each of the questions above.
Describe the potential limitations of the study (Part 1, number 3).
Additional Requirements
Length: Your paper will be 3–4 typed, double-spaced pages of content, plus title and reference pages.
Font: Times New Roman, 12 points.
APA Format: Your title and reference pages must conform to APA format and style guidelines. The body of your paper does not need to conform to APA guidelines. Do make sure that it is clear, persuasive, organized, and well written, without grammatical, punctuation, or spelling errors. You also must cite your sources according to APA guidelines.
Sample Solution
