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STATISTICS – INTRODUCTION FOR NURSING

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The word Statistics is derived from the Latin word “Status” and the Italian word “Statista”, meaning a political state or government.

  • The word “Statistic” was first used by William Shakespeare in his drama Hamlet (1602).
  • In 1749, Gottfried Achenwall, a German scholar, used the word “Statistics” to describe the science of state-related data.
  • Florence Nightingale (1820–1910), the founder of modern nursing, was the first to apply statistics in healthcare to improve sanitary conditions and patient care outcomes.

DEFINITION OF STATISTICS

Statistics is a branch of mathematics that deals with the collection, presentation, analysis, and interpretation of data.

Definitions by Experts:

  • Croxton and Cowden:
    “Statistics may be defined as the science of collection, presentation, analysis, and interpretation of numerical data.”
  • Seligman:
    “Statistics is the science that deals with the methods of collecting, classifying, presenting, comparing, and interpreting numerical data.”
  • Prohla (2003):
    “Statistics is the science of managing data, including the process of acquisition and analysis.”

USES & APPLICATION OF STATISTICS IN NURSING

Statistics is essential in nursing for:

  • Monitoring health outcomes
  • Evaluating treatment effectiveness
  • Understanding disease patterns
  • Conducting research
  • Making evidence-based decisions

TYPES OF STATISTICAL DATA AND SCALES OF MEASUREMENT

1. NOMINAL SCALE (CATEGORICAL DATA)

  • Definition: Data divided into categories that are mutually exclusive and non-ordered.
  • Characteristics:
    • No natural ordering
    • Only mode is applicable
  • Examples:
    • Gender: Male, Female, Other
    • Blood Group: A, B, AB, O
    • Nationality: Indian, American, French
    • Type of Disease: Diabetes, Hypertension (HTN), Cancer
  • Statistical Methods Applicable:
    • Frequency Distribution
    • Mode
    • Chi-square Test (for association between categorical variables)

2. ORDINAL SCALE (RANKED DATA)

  • Definition: Data classified into categories with a meaningful order, but differences between categories are not uniform or measurable.
  • Characteristics:
    • Ordered ranking
    • Intervals between ranks may not be equal
    • Median and mode can be calculated (mean is not suitable)
  • Examples:
    • Pain Intensity: Mild, Moderate, Severe
    • Socioeconomic Status: Poor, Fair, Good, Excellent
    • Education Level: High School, Bachelor’s, Master’s
    • Patient Satisfaction Ratings
  • Statistical Methods Applicable:
    • Median
    • Rank Correlation (Spearman’s)
    • Non-parametric Tests:
      • Mann-Whitney U Test
      • Kruskal-Wallis Test