Much of the information we have is presented in the form of statistical language . Statistical data allow us to analyze any area of reality . In this sense, the study of biology needs very precise data and parameters, which is why we speak of biostatistics. In this subject there is a clear interaction between mathematics and biology.
Fundamental idea of the concept and some illustrative examples
The biological sciences need observation and rigorous methodology. The conclusions obtained must be expressed in a specific mathematical language, the language of statistics.
When the birds in an ecological reserve are studied, the number of individuals that make up the bird population must be quantified. The set of birds can be analyzed from a given sample without the need to study all the birds. Populations and their samples have a statistical relationship.
In the emergency department of a hospital, patient data is recorded using a series of parameters, such as gender, age, temperature and degree of pain. The information obtained is converted into a graphical representation in which all variables are reflected.
Environmental studies need statistical tools. In this way, biostatistics is an essential discipline to know the rainfall of a territory or the air quality.
Studies on diseases of genetic origin need statistical tools, because through them it is possible to specify the probabilities that an individual has of suffering from certain pathologies of a hereditary type.
In any of its applications, biostatistics has its own specialized language and measures all kinds of functions: the pro average, the average or the maximum of a function .
In the pharmaceutical sector
When designing a drug, it is necessary to establish all kinds of statistical analysis. In the initial research process, the drug must be tested in a certain number of patients. This implies the implementation of a statistical study on several variables: sample size, position measures, shape measures, the relative risk of the drug, etc.
The final result of the survey has to be statistically significant.
