Several statistical methods are fundamental to epidemiological research:
1. Descriptive Statistics: Used to summarize and describe the main features of a dataset. Common measures include mean, median, mode, standard deviation, and variance.
2. Inferential Statistics: Techniques such as hypothesis testing, confidence intervals, and p-values help in making predictions or inferences about a population based on a sample.
3. Regression Analysis: Methods like linear regression, logistic regression, and Cox proportional hazards model are essential for understanding relationships between variables and outcomes.
4. Survival Analysis: This includes methods such as the Kaplan-Meier estimator and life tables, which are crucial for analyzing time-to-event data.
5. Multivariate Analysis: Techniques like factor analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), and multiple regression are used to control for confounding variables and explore complex relationships.
