Last update:
   14-Mar-2010
 

Arch Hellen Med, 27(1), January-February 2010, 113-118

APPLIED MEDICAL RESEARCH

Statistical "errors" in biomedical research: The value of the p-value

D.B. PANAGIOTAKOS, A. CHAIMANI, M. SITARA
Office of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Department of Nutrition Science-Dietetics, Harokopeio University of Athens, Kallithea, Greece

Statistical analysis of biomedical data has played an important role in the development of health sciences during recent years. The role of statistical science in medical decision making is multidimensional. Calculation of sample size, and assessment of measurement error or decision errors are some of the issues that arise when statistical science is used in the support of evidence based medicine. In this article, common misinterpretations observed in medical articles regarding the arithmetic mean and the correct interpretation of the p-value are discussed.

Key words: Data analysis, Mean, Medicine, p-value, Statistics, Variance.

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