PubH 6414

Exam 3 (12/21/10)

NAME:________________________

Directions:
This is an open-book, open-notes exam; however, sharing of books, notes, homework papers,
calculators, or verbal comments is not permitted. You may use a calculator of your choosing, but laptop
computers and any kind of internet connection are not permitted.
For multiple choice and true/false questions, please clearly indicate your answer(s).
For short answer problems, please show all relevant work necessary to arrive at a solution, as partial
credit will be awarded.
You will have 2 hours to complete this exam, so do not spend too much time on any one problem. Good
luck!!

This exam should have 11 pages.

Question 1 (Scenario E)
Researchers in a Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center were interested in exploring
the effect of being in charge of an element in the living environment and health complaints of
geriatric residents in a long-term care facility. Sixty residents were randomly selected to
participate in the study. Each resident has his or her own room in this facility.
Half of the residents were given a plant to care for themselves. Caring for the plant will provide
these residents with a small element of control in their environment. Half were given a plant
with the care of the plant provided by facility staff.
The number of health complaints over the following two weeks was recorded for each resident in
the study and average number of complaint calculated for each of the two groups.
The researchers wanted to answer the question: Is there a difference in the average number of
complaints received for the two groups?
Assume the number of health complaints follows an approximately normal distribution.
Summary statistics:
Resident plant care group (average = 16.40, s = 7.12)
Staff plant care group (average = 25.47, s = 7.38)
Notes: The group membership was determined by a random process. Let = 0.05. Group 1 =
Resident plant care group. Group 2 = Staff plant care group.
A. What are the hypotheses (both null and alternative) that the researchers are interested in
testing regarding the number of complaints? -4pts.
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.

Ho: 1=2 vs. Ha: 12

Ho: x1=x2 vs. Ha: x1x2
Ho: 1=2 vs. Ha: 1>2
Ho: 1=2 vs. Ha: 12
Ho: p1=p2 vs. Ha: p1p2
None of the above.

B. In the context of this problem, what is a type I error? -4pts.

i. The probability of concluding there is NOT a difference in population averages
between groups when in fact, there is one.
ii. The probability of concluding there is a difference in population averages between
groups when in fact, there is a difference.
iii. The probability of concluding there is NOT a difference in the sample average
between groups when in fact, there is a difference.
iv. The probability of concluding there is a difference in the sample average between
groups when in fact, there is not a difference.
v. The probability of concluding there is a difference in population averages between
groups when in fact, there is no difference.
vi. The probability of observing a difference in samples means as extreme or more
extreme if the null hypothesis is true.
C. In the context of this problem, what is a type II error? -4pts.
i. The probability of concluding there is NOT a difference in population averages
between groups when in fact, there is one.
ii. The probability of concluding there is a difference in population averages between
groups when in fact, there is a difference.
iii. The probability of concluding there is NOT a difference in the sample average
between groups when in fact, there is a difference.
iv. The probability of concluding there is a difference in the sample average between
groups when in fact, there is not a difference.
v. The probability of concluding there is a difference in population averages between
groups when in fact, there is no difference.
vi. The probability of observing a difference in samples means as extreme or more
extreme if the null hypothesis is true.
D. In the context of this problem, what is power? -4pts.
i. The probability of concluding there is NOT a difference in population averages
between groups when in fact, there is one.
ii. The probability of concluding there is a difference in population averages between
groups when in fact, there is a difference.
iii. The probability of concluding there is NOT a difference in the sample average
between groups when in fact, there is a difference.
iv. The probability of concluding there is a difference in the sample average between
groups when in fact, there is not a difference.
v. The probability of concluding there is a difference in population averages between
groups when in fact, there is no difference.
vi. The probability of observing a difference in samples means as extreme or more
extreme if the null hypothesis is true.

E. Compute a 95% confidence interval for the average difference in number of complaints
received for the two groups. -8pts.

F. Using the 95 % confidence interval calculated above data, test the hypothesis that average
number of complaints is different for the two groups. What is your conclusion (circle all that
apply)? -4pts.

i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.

The data provides sufficient evidence sample averages are different.

The data does not provide sufficient evidence the sample averages are different.
The data provides sufficient evidence the population averages are the same.
The data provides sufficient evidence the population averages are different.
The data does not provide sufficient evidence that the population averages are
different.
vi. All of the above.

Question 2 (Scenario E)
Additionally, all sixty residents in this study were asked Do you enjoy having a plant in your
room? The proportion of residents who responded Yes to the question was recorded for each
group. Researchers wanted to test: Is the enjoyment of having a plant in the room dependent on
whether or not the resident is responsible for its care?
Summary statistics:
Resident plant care group (p = 0.8)
Staff plant care group (p = 0.6)

A. Fill in the two-by-two table below: -4pts.

O = OBSERVED COUNTS
Responsible for Plant Care
Resident

Do you enjoy having a plant

in your room?
Yes
No

Staff

B. What are possible null and alternative hypotheses appropriate for this study (circle all that are
correct). -4pts
a. Ho: 1=2 vs. Ha: 12
b. Ho: x1=x2 vs. Ha: x1x2
c. Ho: Enjoyment of the plant is independence of who is responsible for its care vs. Ha:
Enjoyment of the plant is associated with who is responsible for its care
d. Ho: 1=2 vs. Ha: 12
e. Ho: p1=p2 vs. Ha: p1p2
f. None of the above.

C. Fill in the remaining cells in the table below with the counts for each cell expected under the
null hypothesis. -4pts.
E = EXPECTED COUNTS
Responsible for Plant Care
Resident

Do you enjoy having a plant

in your room?
Yes
No

Staff

D. In this dataset, which test(s) will help to determined if there is evidence of an association
between the enjoyment of having a plant in the room and whether or not the resident is
responsible for its care. (Circle all that apply). -4pts.
i)
ii)
iii)
iv)
v)
vi)
vii)

Normal approximation to the Binomial for one proportion

Normal approximation to the Binomial for two proportions
Binomial exact test for one proportion
T test for the difference of two independent means
T test for a single mean or a mean of a paired difference
McNemars Chi-Square test
Analysis of Variance

E. Suppose the value of the Chi-Square statistic for the test of independence is X2 = 2.86, set
= 0.05 what is the conclusion within the scientific context of the problem (circle all that
apply)? -4pts.
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.

The data provides sufficient evidence sample proportions are different.

The data does not provide sufficient evidence the population proportions are different.
The data provides sufficient evidence the population portions are the same.
The data provides sufficient evidence of independence of the two variables under
study.
v. The data does not provide sufficient evidence that there is an association between the
two variables under study.
vi. All of the above.

F. Based on your result above, what potential error might you have made? -2 pts.
Circle one:

Type I error

Type II error

Question 3 (Scenario B)
A study of risk factors for middle ear infections was conducted. 400 children age birth 2 years (200
children in daycare and 200 children not in daycare) were enrolled in the study. The children were
followed over the next 6 months and any middle ear infections were documented.
130 of the children in daycare had at least one middle ear infection in the following 6
months.
80 of the children who were not in daycare had at least one middle ear infection in the
following 6 months.

Daycare

Yes
130

At Least One Middle Ear Infection

No
70

80

120

Yes
No

A. Calculate the risk of at least one middle ear infection for those exposed to daycare. -2 pts.

B. Calculate the risk of at least one middle ear infection for those not exposed to daycare.- 2 pts.

C. Calculate the relative risk of at least one middle ear infection for those exposed to daycare
compared to those not exposed to daycare. -2 pts.

D. Calculate the 95% confidence interval for the relative risk above. -8 pts.

E. Suppose you wanted to test Ho: RR = 1 vs. Ha: RR 1. What is your conclusion at = 0.05
(state your conclusion within the scientific context of the problem)? -4 pts.

F. The data provide sufficient evidence to conclude that exposure to daycare is associated with at
least one middle ear infection (circle one).
True
False
-2 pts.

Question 4 (Scenario D)
Infant birth-weight has been hypothesized to be associated with smoking status of the mother during the
first trimester of pregnancy. This hypothesis was tested by recording the birth-weights of infants (in
pounds) and first trimester smoking status of their mother for 28 infants. The infants were divided into
four groups based on the smoking status of their mother:
NON: Mother was a non-smoker
EX: Mother smoked prior to pregnancy but not during pregnancy
< 1: Mother smoked less than 1 pack of cigarettes per day during first trimester
1: Mother smoked 1 pack or more of cigarettes per day during first trimester
Smoking Status
NON
EX
<1
>1
Overall

Mean
7.59
7.11
6.10
5.99
6.70

Standard Deviation
0.96
0.79
0.77
0.72
1.03

The researchers did an ANOVA test of the data and obtained the following results.
Source
DF
SS
MS
F
Groups
12.78
4.26
Error
24
16.01
Total
27

P-value
0.0024

A. Fill in the missing pieces of the ANOVA table. -4 pts.

B. What is the value of the estimate of the variance within each group? -2 pts.

C. What is your conclusion at = 0.05 (state your conclusion within the scientific context of the
problem)? -4 pts.

D. What is the appropriate adjustment to maintain a 5% type I error rate if all pair-wise
comparisons are to be made using pooled t-tests? -2 pts.

E. What are the assumptions made for the ANOVA test above (circle all that apply)? -6 pts.

i. Linear relationship between infant birth-weight and smoking category.

ii. Independence of infant birth-weight and smoking category.
iii. Normality of the underlying measures of infant birth-weight.
iv. Equal variance of infant birth-weight within each category of smoking.
v. Independence of measures of infant birth-weight.
vi. Normality of smoking status categories.
vii. Equal variance of mean birth-weight between smoking categories.

Question 5 (Scenario C)
Researchers were interested in the possible association between exposure in-utero to peanuts, as
a result of the ingestion of peanuts during pregnancy, and the subsequent development of allergic
reactions to peanuts. Exposure in-utero (Yes or No) is recorded in the table for 180 matched
pairs of cases (people who have had an allergic reaction to peanuts) and controls (no allergic
reaction to peanuts). Cases and controls pairs were matched on age, gender, and state of
residence.

Cases

A.

Exposed: Yes
Exposed: No

Controls
Exposed: Yes Exposed: No
5
31
8
136

Why do you think the researchers conducted a case-control study and not a cross-sectional or
cohort study? -4 pts.

B. In this dataset, is there evidence of an association between in-utero exposure to peanuts and
subsequent development of a peanut allergy (Use = 0.05)? Justify your answer. -6 pts.

C. Based on your result above, what potential error might you have made? -2 pts
Circle one:

Type I error

Type II error

10

Notes:
Standard Normal Probabilities
P(1.645 < Z < 1.645) = 0.90
P(1.96 < Z < 1.96 ) = 0.95
P(2.576 < Z < 2.576 ) = 0.99

Students t probabilities
P(t29 < 2.045) = 0.025
P(t29 < -1.699) = 0.05
P(t58 < 1.672)= 0.05
P(t58 < 2.002)= 0.025
P(t59 < 1.672)= 0.05
Chi-Square probabilities
P(X21 >2.19 ) = 0.1392
P(X21 > 2.86 ) = 0.0908
P(X21 > 3.84 ) = 0.0500
P(X21 > 9.85 ) = 0.0017

11