title: Understanding common statistical methods, Part I: descriptive methods, probability, and continuous data.
abstract: Statistical methods are pervasive in medical research and general medical literature. Understanding general statistical concepts will enhance our ability to critically appraise the current literature and ultimately improve the delivery of patient care. This article intends to provide an overview of the common statistical methods relevant to medicine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Madigan Army Medical Center, Fort Lewis Washington, Bldg 9040 Fitzsimmons Drive, Tacoma, WA 98431, USA.
authors.forename: Carl G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Skinner
authors.forename: Manish M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Jerry D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D035843:Biomedical Research; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D006801:Humans; D011336:Probability; D018401:Sample Size; D013223:Statistics as Topic