Quantitative Methods for Health Research: A Practical Interactive Guide to Epidemiology and Statistics, 2nd Edition

This title is an introduction to epidemiology, biostatistics and research methodology for health professionals. It has a practical slant, drawing examples from a wide range of topics within health research. It assumes no prior knowledge, but requires moderate numeracy, and some knowledge or at least affinity for health and related social, environmental and similar issues.

Given the full range of modern epidemiological and bio-statistics methods, this title is most appropriately described as Introductory, leading up to an Intermediate level. It covers important contemporary health research methods such as survival analysis, Cox regression and meta-analysis, the understanding of which do go beyond introductory concepts. Finally, it develops critical skills which prepares students to move on to much more advanced and specialist methods.

Self-assessment exercises throughout help students explore and reflect on their understanding and a clear distinction is made between a) knowledge and concepts that all students should ensure they understand and b) those that can be pursued further by students who wish to do so. A programme of practical exercises in SPSS using a prepared data set help to consolidate the theory and develop skills and confidence in data handling, analysis and interpretation.