Sampling
Sampling (Medicine)
Sampling (pronounced: /ˈsamplɪŋ/) in the context of medicine refers to the process of selecting a subset of individuals from a statistical population to estimate characteristics of the whole population.
Etymology
The term 'sampling' is derived from the Old English word 'samplian', which means to take a sample or specimen.
Related Terms
- Statistical population: A set of similar items or events which is of interest for some question or experiment.
- Subset: A portion of a set.
- Estimate: An approximation of a numerical quantity.
- Characteristic: A feature or quality belonging typically to a person, place, or thing and serving to identify it.
Process
In medicine, sampling is often used in research studies and clinical trials. The process typically involves the following steps:
- Defining the Population: The first step in sampling is to define the population from which the sample will be drawn. This could be a group of patients with a specific disease, all individuals of a certain age group, etc.
- Choosing a Sampling Method: There are several methods for sampling, including random sampling, stratified sampling, and cluster sampling. The choice of method depends on the nature of the population and the objectives of the study.
- Collecting the Sample: Once the sampling method has been chosen, the sample can be collected. This might involve drawing blood, collecting tissue samples, or gathering data through surveys or interviews.
- Analyzing the Sample: The final step is to analyze the sample. This could involve testing the sample in a lab, conducting statistical analysis, etc.
Applications
Sampling is used in a variety of medical contexts, including:
- Epidemiology: In epidemiology, sampling is used to estimate the prevalence of a disease in a population.
- Clinical Trials: In clinical trials, a sample of patients is selected to test the effectiveness of a new drug or treatment.
- Public Health: In public health, sampling is used to monitor the health status of a population and identify health trends.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Sampling
- Wikipedia's article - Sampling
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