S0002 [Source: Chan et al. (2006). Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health 42:20-27.]
A retrospective cohort study of 66 pediatric cases of suspected severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) was conducted from 20 March to 18 May 2003. At that time, they were classified as highly suspected and suspected according to their symptoms and history of SARS contacts. Nevertheless, their medical and nursing records were reviewed, focusing on the physical signs, symptoms, investigations, treatment, clinical management, and nursing care of the patients.
For the 17 highly suspected pediatric SARS cases, their characteristics are shown in Table 1 and their clinical features are summarized in Table 2.
Questions:
Q1. Decide whether the variables listed in Table 1 are quantitative, categorical, ordinal, discrete or continuous.
Q2. What are the other descriptive statistics that could have been reported?
Q3. For the clinical features listed in Table 2, discuss if you prefer using the mean or the median to describe the location of the data.
Q4. To accompany your preferred summary measure in Q3, which descriptive statistic will you use to quantify the variability? Why?
Q5. Someone asked if male patients were stronger and asked if they had fewer cough symptoms than female patients. What analysis do you think will help satisfying this curiosity? Note that you don't need to perform the analysis.