Reference no: EM132350272

Assessment Task 1: Analysis of dataset

Background

This assessment task uses the Longitudinal Survey of ACU Student Health and Wellbeing, a (fictional) cohort study involving a survey administered to students on enrolment with ACU (first year baseline) and selected follow up data (during third year). For this task, you are presented with baseline data, along with selected follow-up data (where indicated) on:

1. Road traffic accidents

2. Depression and obesity For Assessment Task 1, we will be considering all data.

Note: For Assessment Task 2, it will be necessary for you to select either 1. Road traffic accidents OR 2. Depression and obesity to "write up" and interpret. By completing Assessment Task 1, you will therefore be preparing for Assessment Task 2.

Purpose To apply statistical theory and use various methods of statistical analysis to answer specific research questions relevant to public health.

Assessment Task 1: Analysis of dataset

Instructions

Please provide answers for each of the following six questions:

1. In your SPSS file, age (at time of enrolment) is given as a continuous variable.
a. What is the mean, standard deviation, minimum and maximum values for age?
b. Some students enrol before their 18th birthday, potentially confounding this analysis of long- term driving behaviour (for the RTA study) or generally creating ethical issues around recruitment of children and consent (for the depression/obesity study). It is therefore necessary to consider only those aged 18 and over, and to make data for those under 18 years of age "missing". Please recode "age" into a new variable (named "age_category") using this guide:

What is the frequency (% and number) of students in each of these new age categories?

2. Create table(s) of descriptive statistics for the demographic information of the students in this dataset (sample size n, mean and % values where appropriate). The demographic variables are cohort, state, age, gender living arrangement, faculty, degree type, metro, study mode and fee status. As a guide you may find the tables in the paper by Keijzers et al. (2011) helpful when presenting your demographic information. Then, provide a brief description of your findings that informs the reader about the ACU cohort.

3. Test if the mean for aggression, thrill seeking and risk acceptance scores differ for the following demographics and provide a brief interpretation of your findings:
a. Gender
b. Metropolitan background status
c. Study mode
d. RTA in past 12 months (from follow-up survey)

4. In terms of depression, is there a difference between the depressed and not depressed groups according to their:
a. Gender
b. Metropolitan background status
c. Study mode
d. Fee status

Provide a brief interpretation of your findings.

5. Using "RTA_one_crash" as the dependent variable, perform a binary logistic regression using the following predictor variables relating to the RTA study:

a. Provide a table of odds ratios, confidence intervals and significance values for each predictor variable.
b. How do you interpret the findings for living arrangements?
c. Provide a preliminary interpretation and conclusion about the influence of the predictor variables on road traffic accidents. In particular, what is the effect of changes (increase or decrease) in "driver aggression" on the odds of experiencing a road traffic accident?

6. Using "OB" (obesity at third-year follow-up) as the dependent variable, perform a binary logistic regression using the following predictor variables:

Learning outcome:

3. Distinguish between different statistical tests, especially in terms of application and interpretation

4. Develop a sound statistical approach to the analysis and interpretation of public health data and communicate findings in an academic-standard output

5. Critique public health research on the basis of its statistical methods, analysis and interpretation

In the assignment you are asked to use SPSS to do your analysis and then present your results. For example I have made some suggestions in the assignment about how you might want to present your tables. Please also attach your SPSS output as an appendix when you submit your assignment. Your SPSS output file may be in SPSS, Excel or Word. If you make an error in the report I will be able to use the SPSS output to give you part marks.

Students will use a simulated public health dataset to conduct an analysis that attempts to replicate a published public health study in a different population. Students will submit the results of their analysis and preliminary findings.