Correlational Analysis in Healthcare Research

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts related to correlation analysis in healthcare research.

Correlation

A statistical measure that expresses the extent to which two variables are related.

Pearson r

A parametric analysis technique used to measure bivariate correlations between continuous variables.

Spearman rho

A nonparametric analysis technique used to examine relationships for ordinal data.

Bivariate correlation

A statistical relationship between two variables.

Independent variable

A variable that is manipulated or controlled in an experiment.

Dependent variable

A variable that is measured or observed in an experiment.

Positive relationship

A relationship where one variable increases as the other variable increases.

Negative relationship

A relationship where one variable increases as the other variable decreases.

Effect Size (ES)

A quantitative measure of the magnitude of a phenomenon, often represented by the absolute value of Pearson r.

Power analysis

A method used to determine the sample size required to detect an effect of a given size.

Variance explained

The proportion of the total variance in a dependent variable that is predictable from the independent variable.

Statistical significance

A measure of whether the relationship observed in data is likely to be present in the population.

Degrees of freedom (df)

A parameter that indicates the number of independent values or quantities that can vary in an analysis.

Homoscedasticity

The assumption that the variance within each group being analyzed is constant across groups.

Sample size calculations

Determining the number of participants needed to achieve adequate power for a statistical test.

Null hypothesis

A statement that there is no effect or no difference, used as a default position to be tested against.

Critical value

A threshold value that the test statistic must exceed in order to reject the null hypothesis.

APA format

The standard formatting style established by the American Psychological Association for writing and citing research.

Continuous variables

Variables that can take on an infinite number of values within a given range.

Ordinal level

A level of measurement where data can be ordered, but the differences between the values cannot be determined.

Interval level

A level of measurement where the distance between two values is meaningful; there is no true zero.

Ratio level

A level of measurement that has all the characteristics of an interval level with the addition of a true zero.

Strength of correlation

Describes the degree of relationship between two variables, often categorized as weak, moderate, or strong.

Mirror-image table

A representation of correlation results that shows symmetric relationships between variables.

Published research studies

Research that is publicly available and has undergone peer review for validity and reliability.

Clinical significance

The practical importance of a treatment effect—whether it has a real, noticeable impact on daily life.