Statistics in the Service of Health
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18192/riss-ijhs.v4i1.1217Abstract
Introduction: The word statistics was first used to describe a set of aggregated data (commonly demographic observations, such as births and deaths), and later came to also denote the mathematical body of science that pertains to the collection, organization, analysis, interpretation, and presentation of data and uncertainty (Davidian & Louis, 2002; Dodge, 2006; Moses, 1986). For those interested in the historical developments in probability and statistics, there are many excellent books and reviews (Fienberg, 1992; Gigerenzer et al., 1989; Stigler, 1986). However, as John Tukey once said, “the best thing about being a statistician is that you get to play in everyone else’s backyard” (Leonhardt, 2000). Yet, there has been little systematic work on the impact of the application of statistics in various scientific disciplines.References
Berkson, J. (1958). Smoking and lung cancer: Some observations on two recent reports. Journal of the American Statistical Association, 53(281), 28-38. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01621459.1958.10501421
Blume, S., & Geesink, I. (2000). A brief history of polio vaccines. Science, 288(5471), 1593-1594. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.288.5471.1593
Brownlee, K. A. (1955). Statistics of the 1954 polio vaccine trials. Journal of the American Statistical Association, 50 (272), 1005-1013. DOI: 10.1080/01621459.1955.10501286
Brownlee, K. A. (1965). A review of “Smoking and Health”. Journal of the American Statistical Association, 60(311), 722-739. DOI: 10.1080/01621459.1965.10480823
Cornfield, J., Haenszel, W., Hammond, E. C., Lilienfeld, A. M., Shimkin, M. B., & Wynder, E. L. (1959). Smoking and lung cancer: Recent evidence and a discussion of some questions. Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 22(1), 173-203.
Davidian, M., & Louis, T. A. (2012). Why statistics? Science, 336(6077), 12. DOI: 10.1126/science.1218685
Dodge, Y (ed). (2006). The Oxford dictionary of statistical terms (6th ed.). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
Doll, R., & Hill, A. B. (1952). A study of the aetiology of carcinoma of the lung. British Medical Journal, 2(4797), 1271-1286. DOI: 10.1136/bmj.2.4797.1271
Doll, R., & Hill, A. B. (1954). The mortality of doctors in relation to their smoking habits: A preliminary report. British Medical Journal, 1(4877), 1451-1455. DOI: 10.1136/bmj.1.4877.1451
Fienberg, S. E. (1992). A brief history of statistics in three and one-half chapters: A review essay. Statistical Science, 7(2), 208-225.
Fisher, R. A. (1957). Dangers of cigarette-smoking. British Medical Journal, 2(5039), 297-298. DOI: 10.1136/bmj.2.5039.297
Francis, T., Jr., Korns, R., Voight, R., Boisen, M., Hemphill, F., Napier J, & Tolchinsky, E. (1955). An evaluation of the 1954 poliomyelitis vaccine trials: Summary report. American Journal of Public Health, 45(5, Pt. 2), 1-50.
Gigerenzer, G., Swijtink, Z., Porter, T., Daston, L., Beatty, J., & Kruger, L. (1989). The empire of chance. How probability changed science and everyday life. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.
Hammond, E. C., & Horn, D. (1954). The relationship between human smoking habits and death rates: A follow-up study of 187,766 men. Journal of the American Medical Association, 155(15), 1316-1328. DOI: 10.1001/jama.1954.03690330020006
Leonhardt, D. (2000, July 28). John Tukey, 85, statistician; Coined the word ‘software.’ The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/
Meier, P. (1989). The biggest public health experiment ever: The 1954 field trial of the Salk poliomyelitis vaccine. In J. Tanur, F. Mosteller, W. H. Kruskal, E. L. Lehmann, R. F. Link, R. S. Pieters, & G. R. Rising (Eds), Statistics, a guide to the unknown (3rd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Holden Day, 1989.
Meldrum, M. (1998). “A calculated risk”: the Salk polio vaccine field trials of 1954. British Medical Journal, 317 (7167), 1233-1236.
Moses, L. E. (1986). Think and explain with statistics. Addison-Wesley Publishing Company.
Stigler, S. M. (1986). The history of statistics: The measurement of uncertainty before 1900. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. (1964). Smoking and health. Report of the advisory committee to the surgeon general of the public health service. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. Public Health Service Publication No. 1103.
Blume, S., & Geesink, I. (2000). A brief history of polio vaccines. Science, 288(5471), 1593-1594. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.288.5471.1593
Brownlee, K. A. (1955). Statistics of the 1954 polio vaccine trials. Journal of the American Statistical Association, 50 (272), 1005-1013. DOI: 10.1080/01621459.1955.10501286
Brownlee, K. A. (1965). A review of “Smoking and Health”. Journal of the American Statistical Association, 60(311), 722-739. DOI: 10.1080/01621459.1965.10480823
Cornfield, J., Haenszel, W., Hammond, E. C., Lilienfeld, A. M., Shimkin, M. B., & Wynder, E. L. (1959). Smoking and lung cancer: Recent evidence and a discussion of some questions. Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 22(1), 173-203.
Davidian, M., & Louis, T. A. (2012). Why statistics? Science, 336(6077), 12. DOI: 10.1126/science.1218685
Dodge, Y (ed). (2006). The Oxford dictionary of statistical terms (6th ed.). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
Doll, R., & Hill, A. B. (1952). A study of the aetiology of carcinoma of the lung. British Medical Journal, 2(4797), 1271-1286. DOI: 10.1136/bmj.2.4797.1271
Doll, R., & Hill, A. B. (1954). The mortality of doctors in relation to their smoking habits: A preliminary report. British Medical Journal, 1(4877), 1451-1455. DOI: 10.1136/bmj.1.4877.1451
Fienberg, S. E. (1992). A brief history of statistics in three and one-half chapters: A review essay. Statistical Science, 7(2), 208-225.
Fisher, R. A. (1957). Dangers of cigarette-smoking. British Medical Journal, 2(5039), 297-298. DOI: 10.1136/bmj.2.5039.297
Francis, T., Jr., Korns, R., Voight, R., Boisen, M., Hemphill, F., Napier J, & Tolchinsky, E. (1955). An evaluation of the 1954 poliomyelitis vaccine trials: Summary report. American Journal of Public Health, 45(5, Pt. 2), 1-50.
Gigerenzer, G., Swijtink, Z., Porter, T., Daston, L., Beatty, J., & Kruger, L. (1989). The empire of chance. How probability changed science and everyday life. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.
Hammond, E. C., & Horn, D. (1954). The relationship between human smoking habits and death rates: A follow-up study of 187,766 men. Journal of the American Medical Association, 155(15), 1316-1328. DOI: 10.1001/jama.1954.03690330020006
Leonhardt, D. (2000, July 28). John Tukey, 85, statistician; Coined the word ‘software.’ The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/
Meier, P. (1989). The biggest public health experiment ever: The 1954 field trial of the Salk poliomyelitis vaccine. In J. Tanur, F. Mosteller, W. H. Kruskal, E. L. Lehmann, R. F. Link, R. S. Pieters, & G. R. Rising (Eds), Statistics, a guide to the unknown (3rd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Holden Day, 1989.
Meldrum, M. (1998). “A calculated risk”: the Salk polio vaccine field trials of 1954. British Medical Journal, 317 (7167), 1233-1236.
Moses, L. E. (1986). Think and explain with statistics. Addison-Wesley Publishing Company.
Stigler, S. M. (1986). The history of statistics: The measurement of uncertainty before 1900. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. (1964). Smoking and health. Report of the advisory committee to the surgeon general of the public health service. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. Public Health Service Publication No. 1103.
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2014-08-17
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