I Assessment

Answer all 5 questions individually.
Biostatistics   is a very important discipline in public health. Outline the importance of   biostatistics as it relates to clinical, medical, and public health issues,   and cite examples for each case.
  The response must be at least 100 words in length.

What is statistics? What is your   understanding of biostatistics and how it relates to statistics? How would   you apply biostatistics in the study of public health?      The   response must be at least 100 words in length. 

Explain your understanding of the   following study designs, and cite an example for each type of study. 
a. Cross-sectional   designs
b. Case-control   designs
c. Cohort study
d. Randomized   study designs
  From your perspective, what would explain the conflicting results between   different studies of the same disease?    The   response must be at least 200 words in length.

A study is planned to compare two   weight-loss programs in patients who are obese. The first program is based on   restricted caloric intake, and the second is based on specific food   combinations. The study will involve 20 participants, and each participant will   follow each program. The programs will be assigned in random order (i.e.,   some participants will first follow the restricted-calorie diet and then   follow the food-combination diet, whereas others will first follow the   food-combination diet and then follow the restricted-calorie diet). The   number of pounds lost will be compared between diets. Identify the type of   study proposed, and indicate its specific strengths and weaknesses.   The response must be at least 200 words in   length.

An orthopedic surgeon observes that   many of his patients coming in for total knee replacement surgery played   organized sports before the age of 10. He plans to collect more data on   participation in organized sports from four patients undergoing knee   replacement surgery and to report the findings. Identify the type of study   proposed, and indicate its specific strengths and weaknesses.     The response must be at least 200 words in   length.
  
See attached study guide for reference materials.