Master of Pharmacy: Research and Biostatistics Flashcards
7 cards from real MPharm Master of Pharmacy practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Master of Pharmacy: Research and Biostatistics flashcards as text
Which measure of central tendency is most appropriate when data are severely right-skewed, such as drug cost distributions?
Answer: Median
The median is resistant to extreme values and better represents the 'typical' value in right-skewed distributions like cost data.
In pharmacoepidemiology, the 'healthy worker effect' is an example of which type of bias?
Answer: Selection bias
The healthy worker effect is a selection bias where employed populations are healthier than the general population, distorting risk estimates.
A researcher reports a statistically significant result (p=0.03) with a very small effect size (Cohen's d=0.05). What is the most accurate conclusion?
Answer: The finding is statistically significant but clinically trivial
With large sample sizes, trivially small differences can reach statistical significance; effect size determines clinical meaningfulness.
The area under the ROC curve (AUC-ROC) value of 0.50 for a diagnostic biomarker indicates:
Answer: The biomarker performs no better than random chance
An AUC-ROC of 0.50 equals the performance of random chance, meaning the biomarker has no discriminative ability for the condition.
In systematic reviews, what does the PRISMA checklist primarily guide?
Answer: Transparent reporting of systematic review methodology and results
PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) is a reporting guideline to ensure transparency and completeness in systematic review publications.
In a crossover pharmacokinetic study, which statistical consideration is most important to address?
Answer: Carry-over effects between treatment periods
Crossover studies must include adequate washout periods and statistically test for carry-over effects, as residual drug from period one could confound period two results.
Which graphical tool is most appropriate for detecting publication bias in a meta-analysis?
Answer: Funnel plot
A funnel plot displays effect sizes against standard error; asymmetry suggests small-study effects or publication bias.