Statistical Methods in Epidemiology

Book excerpt: This book is an expanded version of the Kahn's widely used text, An Introduction to Epidemiologic Methods (Oxford, 1983). It provides clear insight into the basic statistical tools used in epidemiology and is written so that those without advanced statistical training can comprehend the ideas underlying the analytical techniques. The authors emphasize the extent to which similar results are obtained from different methods, both simple and complex. To this edition they have added a new chapter on "Comparison of Numerical Results for Various Methods of Adjustment" and also one on "The Primacy of Data Collection." New topics include the Kaplan-Meier product-limit method and the Cox proportional hazards model for analysis of time-related outcomes. An appendix of data from the Framingham Heart Study is used to illustrate the application of various analytical methods to an identical set of real data and provides source material for student exercises. The text has been updated throughout.