In analyzing health problems, the basic principle of ANOVA is used. For example, one may use it to compare health problems in two populations by using the relationship between the variables. Using a t-test, a correlation can be determined between the variables in the sample. It is usually done with one or more degrees of freedom and is the most commonly used test for comparing the results of various studies on a large scale. The result of the test will indicate whether the data fit into a model or whether it is a true result of sampling error.
When a study is done with fewer than 200 subjects, it is called a small sample and the larger samples are called the sample size. The sample size can also be used when evaluating the relationship between variables in the study.
If a statistical analysis is done with only one model, then it is known as a linear model. If there are more than two models, then it is known as an autoregressive model. When there are multiple variables being examined and the number of degrees of freedom is more than four, the model that produces the most reliable data is called the multiple equation model (MED).
A generalization of the ANOVA analysis is called multivariate analysis. This model combines the basic methods used in ANOVA, but also makes use of other data analysis approaches.
For example, if the study is examining the relationship between smoking and lung cancer, then there may be many different levels of analysis needed. These could include individual level data (such as age, gender, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status), case-control data (i.e., people who have had a previous history of lung cancer and also people who have not) and population level data (i.e., people who live in the same region or area as the subject). It may even be necessary to look at the relationship between a factor, such as smoking, and an outcome, such as lung cancer in the case of lung cancer of the upper respiratory system.
Different types of tests can be done with these data. For example, a chi-square test compares the probability that the data obtained from an ANOVA would actually occur by chance and then compares that to the probability that the data would actually occur if there were no relationship between that factor and the outcome. A t-test compares the probability of the data occurring by chance and the probability that the data would actually occur if the relationship is true, and thus, shows how strong the relationship is.
Although there are many different statistical methods used in ANOVA, the most popular are a chi-square test and a t-test. There are other statistical methods, including the R statistic, a statistical testing tool developed and now available by Statistics Canada.
The most important thing to remember about using an ANOVA to examine a relationship is that the results obtained should be consistent across the sample using a number of statistical methods. If not, then the result may be due to one of several possible reasons – for example, a correlation with another factor, or because the relationships are very small, and the significance is low.
In addition to the statistical method used to examine the relationship, another important part of the analysis is the type of outcome measured. Some of these studies can focus on the primary outcome, which is the health benefit of quitting smoking.
In another example, a study uses anova to examine the association between stress and depression. If there is a clear relationship between the two variables, then it is probably safe to say that one can be associated with the other, which is the reduction of depression. If the relationship is not so clear, then the results indicate that there may be no direct link between the two, or that the relationship is too strong to be considered relevant in terms of reducing stress. However, it is possible to conclude that the reduction of stress will not result in the reduction of depression.
