LI Course
CE Hours: 6 contact hours

Statement of Purpose and Institute Overview: The purpose of this Learning Institute is to provide hands-on, participatory experience with IBM Statistical Software Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) for the calculation and interpretation of basic statistical tests commonly reported in the published public health literature. Despite the ever-increasing growth of published scientific literature, many are unable to adequately understand and interpret statistical concepts appearing in manuscripts. Thus, it is critically important to have knowledge of fundamental statistical concepts and tests when assessing literature, as well as when carrying out a research project, so that it produces meaningful statistical results. This level of statistical awareness is essential to critically appraise a given study for its scientific validity, impact and epidemiologic relevance. Using IBM SPSS software and practical examples drawn from recently published health literature, this course will teach participants how to assess the appropriateness of statistical tests performed based on the study design, data collected, and the research question(s) asked. Examples will highlight common statistical tests reported in the literature including, but not limited to: odds ratio, relative risk, confidence interval, independent samples t-test, paired t-test, Chi-square test, correlation analysis, and multivariable regression methods. The emphasis of this course is on practical applications rather than theory. This workshop combines a lecture and interactive discussion format. The lecture will provide background information for the statistical analyses covered, while the interactive discussions are intended to provide critical discourse on—and a deeper understanding of—the material taught in the lectures by utilizing practical examples requiring problem solving. Course participants will receive practice exercises involving SPSS on each topic to reinforce understanding.

Session Objectives: Describe the purpose and appropriateness of statistical tests commonly reported in published health literature. Analyze data using IBM SPSS software. Demonstrate proficiency in making refined interpretations of statistical results.