Interpretation and Uses of Medical Statistics (PDF)

In 1969 the first edition of this book introduced the concepts of
statistics and their medical application to readers with no formal
training in this area. While retaining this basic aim, the authors
have expanded the coverage in each subsequent edition to keep pace
with the increasing use and sophistication of statistics in medical
research.

This fifth edition has undergone major restructuring, with some
sections completely rewritten; it is now more logically organized
and more user friendly (with the addition of 'summary boxes'
throughout the text). It incorporates new statistical techniques
and approaches that have made an appearance since the last edition.
In addition, some chapters or chapter headings are specifically
marked to signify material that is more difficult than the material
in which it is embedded - such sections or chapters can be omitted
at first reading.

Several new chapters have been added . "Associations: Chance,
Confounded and Causal?" explains without any formulae the concepts
underlying confounding, confidence intervals and p values, and the
interpretation of associations observed in research investigations.
Another new chapter considers sample size calculations in some
detail and provides, in addition to the relevant formulae, useful
tables that should give the researcher an indication of the order
of magnitude of the number of subjects he or she might require in
different situations.