Statistical Consulting and its Challenges in International Journal of Clinical Studies & Medical Case Reports

Statistical Consulting and its Challenges in International Journal of Clinical Studies & Medical Case Reports

Introduction
Statistical consulting, the provision of statistical advice and/or services to those who request it, applies statistical methodology to problems in other disciplines. Consultants assist with design and conduct of the study, including randomization of subjects, data collection, and data analysis. They help to report the results of the study and to ensure that conclusions reached are supported by the data. The consultation may range from a five-minute chat in a hallway, involving only advice about some aspect of the study, to a many years’ collaboration on a project. Although the terms consulting and collaboration are often used interchangeably, a collaboration implies more responsibility and involvement, both intellectual and time, by the statistician. In a collaborative relationship, a statistician is a full-fledged member of the team of investigators conducting the study, has more authority, receives credit for contributions made, and coauthors the research paper reporting the project. This is a relationship most conducive to statistical contribution. To connote a broad range of services, some statisticians now refer to the practice of statistics, meaning the communication of statistical information across disciplinary boundaries by persons who have training in statistics and related quantitative fields.

Biostatistical consulting is the application of statistical expertise in the biological or health sciences. Within the arenas of medicine, dentistry, and public health, biostatisticians work with physicians, basic scientists, dentists, nurses, pharmacists, epidemiologists, and other health professionals. A biostatistician may be a faculty member in a school of public health or a professor in a quantitative sciences department in a medical or dental school or at a medical research center [3]. In this capacity, they teach graduate courses in biostatistics while working collaboratively on research grants, jointly with medical colleagues. In addition, the biostatistician might perform analyses for reports, manuscripts, and presentations for medical clients. In many universities, consulting biostatisticians belong to a statistical consulting unit [5], often within a biostatistics department that offers statistical and computing services. Some universities and schools of public health have statistical or clinical trials centers in which biostatisticians have a primary role [1]. Some biostatisticians work in cancer centers or other disease-specific research centers that may be part of a larger network [8]. Such centers are usually in a university setting; others may be independent entities.



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Healthcare Disparities and Socio-Economic Inequities Raise the Risk for COVID-19 in Children

Healthcare Disparities and Socio-Economic Inequities Raise the Risk for COVID-19 in Children

 

 

Short CommentaryAs COVID-19 has spread across continents, great attention via public health professionals and media outlets is paid to the fact that children often present with mild symptoms, and rarely become life threateningly sick with COVID-19, as compared to adults and people with age groups over 65 years. While the reasons for low rates of severe pediatric cases are not yet researched or understood, a small proportion of them progress to severe or critical stage. When considered in totality, these observations can create complacency in general public about COVID-19 risk and it's severity in children. In places and societies with larger populations even a small proportion of severe and critical pediatric cases can overwhelm entire health care machinery and strain the already strained health systems quickly.

When an epidemic becomes pandemic, it shows dark lines of health care disparities, socio-economic inequities with unequal distribution of risk factors and disease spread. Pandemic spread is determined by socio-economic inequities, health disparities, and geo-political scenarios. The social environment, health care access and economic structure of families in which children live is of prime importance and greatly influences exposure risks in a pandemic. Children living in poor households with marginalized circumstances with socially or economically disadvantaged parents and families will lead to greater spread of COVID-19, more complications, with poorer health care outcomes. Health and wellbeing of parents, guardians and children's families impact children's health. Initial phase of COVID-19 saw the impact of disease been substantially higher on older age groups. As COVID-19 emerges, patterns of it indicate that families and their children are experiencing effects of inequality on their health.

For already low income and socially disadvantaged families, it has become extremely difficult to maintain jobs and income as under-stay home orders in most states are in effect. Parents or guardians of children who have less education and income levels usually have limited employment options. They are more likely to hold jobs in labor market sectors that precludes them the ability to work from home and comply with stay at home or public health orders. Due to low education, high socio-economic disparities such parents or guardians works in jobs that include for example- construction workers, retail industry, agricultural field labor, and high types of informal work with  low wages. Such parents and families have very low job security, survive pay check to pay check due to low wages which prevents such workers from having any savings, health benefits, paid sick leave or paid vacation time. Such socio-economic factors delay low income families ability to even obtain timely medical care. Low income, less education, burden of children's and family needs, stress to survive increases food insecurity levels, limits clean or safer housing or residential options for such parents or guardians and families. Majority of such families therefore live in subsidized, low income housing. Across the US, majority of such families living in such subsidized housing are located in very densely populated urban areas where such hygienic and  living conditions trigger quick transmission of COVID-19, due to density and higher contact rate. Therefore, children living in urban, communal subsidized housing will have higher likely hood of getting the infection and spreading it due to vulnerability to the disease.

For More information regarding Article https://ijclinmedcasereports.com/ijcmcr-sc-id-00010/

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