Chapter 1. Introduction: The Role and Relevance of Statistics, Genetics and Epidemiology in Medicine

  1. Robert C. Elston1,
  2. William D. Johnson2

Published Online: 31 OCT 2008

DOI: 10.1002/9780470740781.ch1

Book Title

Basic Biostatistics for Geneticists and Epidemiologists: A Practical Approach

Basic Biostatistics for Geneticists and Epidemiologists: A Practical Approach

Additional Information

How to Cite

Elston, R. C. and Johnson, W. D. (2008) Introduction: The Role and Relevance of Statistics, Genetics and Epidemiology in Medicine, in Basic Biostatistics for Geneticists and Epidemiologists: A Practical Approach, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, Chichester, UK. doi: 10.1002/9780470740781.ch1

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Case Western Reserve University, USA

  2. 2

    Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University System, USA

Publication History

  1. Published Online: 31 OCT 2008
  2. Published Print: 24 OCT 2007

ISBN Information

Print ISBN: 9780470024898

Online ISBN: 9780470740781

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CHAPTER TOOLS

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Keywords:

  • deductive reasoning, inductive reasoning;
  • scientific method;
  • statistical inference;
  • variability, reliability of data;
  • population data, population parameter, sample data, sample estimate;
  • autosomes, chromosomes, X chromosome, Y chromosome;
  • genotype, phenotype;
  • alleles, polymorphism, mutation, variant;
  • homozygous, homozygote, heterozygous, heterozygote;
  • locus, loci, diallelic, biallelic, haplotype;
  • epidemic, epidemiology;
  • factors, demographic, economic, genetic, social, temporal;
  • frequency of disease;
  • built environment

Summary

This chapter contains sections titled:

  • Why Biostatistics?

  • What Exactly Is (Are) Statistics?

  • Reasons for Understanding Statistics

  • What Exactly is Genetics?

  • What Exactly is Epidemiology?

  • How Can a Statistician Help Geneticists and Epidemiologists?

  • Disease Prevention versus Disease Therapy

  • A Few Examples: Genetics, Epidemiology and Statistical Inference

  • Summary

  • References

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