Misinterpretation of Statistical Data PDF

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Misinterpretation of Statistical Data...

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Running head: UNDERSTANDING OF STATISTICS

Understanding of Statistics Name: Institutional affiliation:

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UNDERSTANDING OF STATISTICS Understanding of Statistics The process of data analysis and interpretation of the research is pivotal to the scientific enterprise. Any misinterpretation of data, whether deliberately or not, has consequences for the subsequent decisions made from the findings of such a statistic. Even though statisticians have tried to give accurate interpretations of data, there have been elements of misinterpretation of statistical information – even by the specialists. They might misunderstand the data they are working with or compare variables that are not compatible. Agencies with hidden agendas have also deliberately misinterpreted statistical information to benefit their interests. This paper addresses the false interpretation of statistical data for the homicide cases by the Russian police and the COVID-19 data by WHO. Misinterpretation of Coronavirus Mortality Rate by WHO World Health Organization (WHO) confuses the mortality rate of the COVID-19 pandemic for the case fatality rate of the disease. The reported 3.4% mortality rate is the case fatality rate (Ventegodt, 2020; World Health Organization, 2020). Arguably, the number of death cases reported for COVID-19 is not purely for the disease, as a significant amount of these cases were also suffering from other underlying medical conditions. WHO overlook the actual causes of deaths for patients who had other illnesses in favour of the COVID-19. Statistically, such a scenario results in false reports on the number for the COVID-19 mortality rate and case fatality rate. Furthermore, according to Ventegodt (2020), WHO has in the past reported misleading information about pandemics, like in the case of swine flu in 2009, making it difficult to trust information that comes from them. The report by the World Health Organization on the COVID19 is a case of misunderstanding the data, as they confuse the mortality rate for case fatality rate.

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UNDERSTANDING OF STATISTICS

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The Measure of the Performance of the Police in Russia by the Number of Homicide Cases In Russia, higher rates of homicide cases indicate poor performance of the police department, whereas lower cases of homicide show the exemplary performance of the police. At the same time, the police are responsible for collecting data and reporting findings of the homicide cases. The police report lower cases and those that are easier to solve, hence reflect excellent performance and avoid penalties related to poor performance (Lysova, 2018). The lower statistics reported by the police serve as an explanation for the diminishing rates of recorded homicide cases in Russia in the recent past. However, a significant margin exists between the data from the police records and that from the public health records in Russia for the same homicide cases. The difference comes from the desire of the police to keep their jobs (Lysova, 2018). The way the Russian police misreport these homicide data is an instance of deliberate misinterpretation of statistical information. Statistical information suffers from serious misinterpretation, either deliberately or not. From the cases discussed in this paper, we see a falsification of statistics by WHO because of a misunderstanding of the statistic. A proper understanding of data and specific definitions are necessary to avoid such distortion. Also, the Russian police deliberately misinterpreted statistical information to help them with their job. Agencies mandated with the handling of statistical data should have a very high level of integrity to eradicate such deliberate misinterpretations. Valid comparable variable selection is also necessary to ensure proper interpretation of statistical information. Distortion of data is thus avoidable if approached with the right motive, knowledge, and skills.

UNDERSTANDING OF STATISTICS

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Lysova, A. (2018). Challenges to the veracity and the international comparability of Russian homicide statistics. European Journal Of Criminology, 17(4). Ventegodt, S. (2020). A tribute to the Coronavirus COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) whistle-blowers. J Altern Med Res, 12(2). World Health Organization. (2020). Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): situation report, 46. World Health Organization. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/331443...