HLT362V Applied Statistics

The study of human health and disease processes is known as health statistics. Health statistics are numerical data regarding any aspect of health. These statistics are used by researchers to identify disease trends within a population. This knowledge can then be used to determine who is at risk for diseases, find ways to control disease, and decide which diseases should be researched. Data from both observation as well as numerical measurement allow healthcare decision makers to prepare and execute strategies that support both patients and the health organization. Statistical research is the first step in the discovery of new medicines. During clinical trials, data is obtained and analyzed to weigh the advantages and risks of a medication (Alosh et al., 2017).

Quality

Statistics are critical in assessing efficiency successes and shortcomings in health care organizations. Quality assurance managers can predict potential results by developing service excellence criteria based on statistical evidence. EBM (evidence based medicine) is described as "the careful, clear, judicious, and fair use of new, best evidence in making decisions about individual patient care." EBM policies, which are derived from statistical evidence, are critical in determining how best to deliver health services and facilitate health within a community (Tonelli & Bluhm, 2020). To be effective, quality management must be data-driven: It is impossible to change if it cannot be evaluated.

Safety

Statistics are extremely important in the field of patient protection. According to the research, nearly 2 million new hospital acquired infections occur every year, resulting in approximately deaths annually. Furthermore, the financial costs of patient safety problems are up to $ 20 billion. In order to reduce avoidable damage, evidence-based policies must be implemented systemically, with health administrators taking the lead. The aim of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality is to "improve the quality, protection, reliability, and effectiveness of health care". This objective is accomplished by presenting data on treatment effectiveness, applicability, and cost (Ekin, 2019). Health surveillance, medical costs, healthcare cost and use, hospital statistics, and HIV and AIDS statistics are among the statistical topics covered.

Promotion of Health

Individuals and societies may benefit from health promotion by preventing chronic diseases and improving public health. Health promotion focuses on behaviors that lead to the development of chronic diseases, such as tobacco use, unhealthy eating patterns, and a lack of physical activity. Demographic data aid in predicting the types of services required and the quality of treatment that is available to the demographic group. The use of health statistics enables clinicians to balance the needs of a diverse population with the resources that are already available (Li et al., 2020). The use of data in healthcare has resulted in a rise in infant immunizations, healthy diets, and a decline in heart disease.

Leadership

Statistics are used by leadership health officials to apply for grants and to justify budget costs to their governing boards. The utility, effectiveness, and costs of medical products and services are summarized in descriptive statistics. Performance results are measured using statistical analysis. Analysts use longitudinal data collected over time to map the overall development of a healthcare organization. The statistical evidence aids leadership in making decisions such as staffing requirements, clinical trial participation, and funding allocation. To maximize performance, hospitals and other large provider service organizations use data-driven quality assurance systems.

Health Statistics in a Pediatric Care Hospital

The most common reason of bronchiolitis and pneumonia in children is respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a respiratory virus that affects the lungs. RSV infects almost all children by the age of two in the United States, resulting in nearly 2.1million outpatient visits and about 75, 000 - 125, 000 hospitalizations per year. RSV affects an estimated 4. 25 million people worldwide, resulting in 200,000 deaths per year (Mengistu 2020). While RSV death rates have decreased, the virus itself remains a serious global health issue, causing The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases has prioritized RSV vaccine research and development.

Data Obtaining

Questionnaires, clinical and administrative reports, claims (information obtained on doctor's appointments, expenses, and insurance) details, vital records, observation, disease registries, and peer-reviewed literature are the primary sources for collecting health statistics. Tracking RSV hospital admissions is one way the pediatric hospital obtains data for planning purposes; comprehensive charting is another means of generating statistics (Rath et al., 2017). The collected data is shared between the hospital, outlying clinics, and associated doctor's offices through system-wide computer programming.

Data Utilization

Data is collected, analyzed, and discussed with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as the NIAID (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases). There is presently no RSV vaccine; however, the statistical data collected during EBP has allowed The NIAID to initiate a clinical study of an experimental vaccine to safeguard against RSV. The statistical data is collected, analyzed, and formatted into reports that are distributed to management and implementation for planning purposes — monitoring seasonal patterns of RSV influences and initiating prophylaxis for children who are at risk for RSV infection.

Using Statistics to Make Decisions

The use of healthcare statistics is critical in preparing for the RSV season, which lasts from October - May, with the peak occurring in February. RSV season in Florida begins earlier and lasts longer than in the rest of the country (Obando-Pacheco etal., 2018). Tracking seasonal RSV data will aid in the implementation of diagnostic testing and influence policy decisions about the use of available prophylaxis drugs and involvement in clinical trials of vaccines and immunoprophylaxis products in progress. Statistics allow management to forecast staffing, supply, pharmaceutical, and census increase requirements.

Conclusion

To summarize, statistics in health care will continue to change, and it is our responsibility as health care professionals to remain current in order to deliver the best patient care possible. Nursing requires statistical reasoning and experience. Health statistics are numerical data regarding some aspect of health. Researchers may use these statistics to classify trends of infection or disease in a population. The data will then be used to assess who is at risk for disease, how to control disease transmission, and which conditions to study. Data obtained and analyzed during clinical trials will be used to create new medications to combat diseases by providing a statistical understanding of the risks associated with the new drug. Observation and numerical measurement enable healthcare decision-makers to prepare and adopt strategies that support patients and organizations.

Reference

Alosh, M., Huque, M. F., Bretz, F., & D'Agostino Sr, R. B. (2017). Tutorial on statistical considerations on subgroup analysis in confirmatory clinical trials. Statistics in medicine, 36(8), 1334-1360.

Ekin, T. (2019). Statistics and Health Care Fraud: How to Save Billions. CRC Press.

Li, R., Chen, Y., Ritchie, M. D., & Moore, J. H. (2020). Electronic health records and polygenic risk scores for predicting disease risk. Nature Reviews Genetics, 21(8), 493-502.

Mengistu, A. (2020). Bayesian Multilevel-modelling of Acute Respiratory Infections among Under Five Children in Ethiopia (Doctoral dissertation).

Obando-Pacheco, P., Justicia-Grande, A. J., Rivero-Calle, I., Rodríguez-Tenreiro, C., Sly, P., Ramilo, O., ... & Martinón-Torres, F. (2018). Respiratory syncytial virus seasonality: a global overview. The Journal of infectious diseases, 217(9), 1356-1364.

Tonelli, M. R., & Bluhm, R. (2020). Teaching Medical Epistemology within an Evidence-Based Medicine Curriculum. Teaching and Learning in Medicine, 1-8.

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