Biostats Lab Assignment

Important: Please make sure you are using the right dataset in each question. Datasets will be referred to by their names in each question.

Wherever necessary, variables associated with any part of the analysis will be mentioned by their names as they appear in the dataset and will be enclosed in parentheses; for example: How many people are Hispanic in the sample (RACE). This means you need to perform the relevant procedures using a variable called RACE.

When you produce SPSS output in your response make sure you submit only the relevant part of the output. SPSS produces a lot of information that you do not need to submit. SPSS output can be copied and pasted into a Word document. But remember, submit only the relevant part of the output!

Be sure to assign missing values so that you can account for people who responded "don't know" or refused to answer the question. Steps are given below.

1. Use the dataset you created in Assignment 1 to answer the following questions: [Create it again if you did not save it---more practice!]

(a) What percentage of the individuals in the sample did not have private or public insurance?

(b) What is the average age of the individuals in the sample?

(c) What is the total percentage of respondents who were either unsatisfied or very unsatisfied with the services?

(d) What percentage of the sample did not graduate from high school?

2. Collection of patient data

Each time a patient enters a health care facility seeking care for him/herself there is a certain amount of data that is collected from each patient. Some of this data are quantitative data and some data are qualitative data.

(a) What are the differences between quantitative data and qualitative data? (4 points)

(b) Give three examples of each type of data that are collected in a health care encounter (that is: when a person goes to see the health provider). (3 points)

(c) State at least THREE different techniques that can be used in the collection of SURVEY data. (3 points)

3. Use the dataset named "webhealth.sav" (located in the Blackboard Datasets folder) for this part of the assignment:

First, follow these steps to assign missing values: Let's use the 'inc' variable as an example.

• Go to the Variable View of your dataset

• Look for "Missing" column next to the "Values" column

• Scroll down until you find the "inc" variable

• Click on the "Values" for that variable and look at what are all the values are and then identify what numbers should be used as the missing values for this variable.

• Click on None in the Missing column for that variable and add the two discrete values for the missing (each number in its own box).

• Click ok.

Now here are the questions you need to answer.

(a) What percentage of the respondents were residents of suburban area?

(b) What is the difference between the "Percent" and Valid Percent" columns on SPSS output? Give a reference for your answer.

(c) Find out what weekly frequency of using internet or email from home is represented by 21.3% of the respondents and 5.4%?

(d) What percentage of the respondents have ever used their cell phones to access health or medical information?

(f) What is the average age of the respondents? What is the range of their age? (age). Be sure to exclude data that is missing. Look this up under the values for age and assign missing values for the age variable using the steps you used previously.

(g) What is total percentage of persons who were in school (either as full-time or part-time students)?