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In this course, you will learn about some of the advanced skills you will need for real-world healthcare data analysis. You will continue to practice these skills using the statistical programming software called R and examples from the healthcare industry. The topics covered in this course will help you to engage in the more advanced data wrangling that is often necessary for data analysis and to make data-informed decisions in the healthcare field. While the course focuses on application and the use of these statistical methods, there is some discussion of the mathematical underpinning, relevant formulae, and assumptions necessary for understanding the application of statistical methods.

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In this course, you will learn about some of the advanced skills you will need for real-world healthcare data analysis. You will continue to practice these skills using the statistical programming software called R and examples from the healthcare industry. The topics covered in this course will help you to engage in the more advanced data wrangling that is often necessary for data analysis and to make data-informed decisions in the healthcare field. While the course focuses on application and the use of these statistical methods, there is some discussion of the mathematical underpinning, relevant formulae, and assumptions necessary for understanding the application of statistical methods.

This self-paced course is comprised of written content, video content, step-by-step follow-along activities, and assessments to reinforce your learning (Assessments available to Verified Track learners only).

The course is comprised of 6 modules that you should complete in order, as each subsequent module builds on the previous one.

  • Module 1: Causal Inference and Tools for Model Specification
  • Module 2: Matching to Reduce Model Dependence
  • Module 3: Simpson's Paradox and Fixed Effects
  • Module 4: Random Effects
  • Module 5: Repeated Measures and Longitudinal Data
  • Module 6: Missing Data and Bootstrapping

What's inside

Learning objectives

  • By the end of this course, you will be able to:
  • Apply causal estimation using randomized controlled trials and difference-in-difference methods.
  • Use matching to balance datasets for improved regression model results.
  • Employ multi-level regressions with fixed and random effects and interpret their results.
  • Implement various techniques for addressing missing data and small sample sizes in datasets used for regression models.
  • Communicate the results of your analysis to others in simple language.

Syllabus

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Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Makes use of advanced statistical methods from the healthcare industry in real-world applications
Provides practical examples to illustrate the application of statistical methods
Covers topics such as causal inference, matching, fixed effects, random effects, repeated measures, and missing data
May require prior knowledge of statistical programming software R
Data analysis skills may not be beginner-friendly

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Reviews summary

Hands-on healthcare data analysis with r

According to learners, this course provides a highly practical and valuable deep dive into advanced healthcare data analysis. Students particularly appreciate the extensive use of R programming for real-world healthcare datasets, finding the hands-on activities and clear explanations of complex statistical methods like causal inference and multi-level models to be immensely beneficial. Many highlight its direct applicability to their careers. However, a consistent warning is the need for a solid prerequisite understanding of R and basic statistics, as the course is fast-paced and conceptually dense. It is challenging but ultimately very rewarding for those with the right foundational knowledge.
Instructor clearly explains complex topics.
"The instructor explained complex topics clearly, making advanced concepts accessible."
"I found the concepts were broken down into understandable chunks, which really helped my learning."
"Despite the complexity of the subjects, the explanations provided were generally very easy to follow."
Covers complex statistical topics comprehensively.
"The content on causal inference and multi-level models was particularly insightful and well-explained."
"It covers essential advanced topics often overlooked in other courses, truly making it 'advanced'."
"The modules on missing data and bootstrapping were excellent and filled significant gaps in my knowledge."
Focuses on real-world use of R in healthcare.
"The practical application of statistical methods to real-world healthcare datasets using R was invaluable."
"This course provided practical methods that are immediately applicable to my work and research."
"I gained hands-on experience with R using real healthcare data sets, which is exactly what I needed."
The course is fast-paced and information-dense.
"The pacing was quite fast, I needed to re-watch lectures multiple times to fully grasp the concepts."
"It's very dense with information; be prepared to dedicate significant time and effort."
"While comprehensive, the speed at which new topics are introduced can be challenging."
Needs strong R and statistics background.
"This course definitely requires a solid foundation in R programming and basic statistics; it's not for beginners."
"I struggled initially due to my limited R background, so make sure you're comfortable with R before starting."
"Be prepared with prior knowledge of statistical concepts, otherwise, the pace might be overwhelming."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Advanced Topics in Healthcare Data Analysis with these activities:
Review statistical concepts and methods
Revisit statistical concepts and methods to strengthen your foundation and ensure a better understanding of the advanced techniques covered in this course.
Browse courses on Statistical Concepts
Show steps
  • Review notes or textbooks on statistics
  • Go through online resources or articles
  • Complete practice questions or exercises
Review diagnostic tests and their interpretation
Refreshes your knowledge about the various diagnostic tests used in healthcare and their interpretation, providing a stronger foundation for understanding advanced data analysis techniques.
Browse courses on Diagnostic Tests
Show steps
  • Review notes or textbooks on diagnostic tests
  • Go through online resources or articles
  • Complete practice questions or exercises
Join a study group or discussion forum
Engage with peers through a study group or online discussion forum, exchanging knowledge, clarifying concepts, and fostering a supportive learning environment.
Show steps
  • Find or create a study group with fellow learners
  • Join an online discussion forum dedicated to healthcare data analysis
  • Actively participate in discussions, ask questions, and share insights
Five other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all eight activities
Practice data manipulation and wrangling using R
Regularly practice data manipulation and wrangling using the R programming language, strengthening your proficiency for advanced data analysis tasks.
Browse courses on Data Wrangling
Show steps
  • Download and install R
  • Go through tutorials or online courses on R basics
  • Find datasets online or create your own
  • Practice data cleaning, transformation, and visualization
Explore case studies and applications of healthcare data analysis
Survey case studies and real-world applications of healthcare data analysis, gaining practical insights and understanding of how these techniques are used in the industry.
Browse courses on Case Studies
Show steps
  • Search for case studies or articles online
  • Attend webinars or workshops on healthcare data analysis
  • Review industry reports or whitepapers
Consolidate and organize course materials
Organize and compile your notes, assignments, quizzes, exams, and any other relevant materials to enhance your review and retention of the course content.
Show steps
  • Create a central repository for all course materials
  • Organize materials into logical folders or sections
  • Review materials regularly
Assist or mentor fellow learners on the course platform or discussion forums
By assisting others, you reinforce your own understanding, improve your communication skills, and contribute to a positive and collaborative learning community.
Show steps
  • Engage in discussion forums and answer questions from fellow learners
  • Provide guidance or support to learners facing difficulties
  • Create summaries or explanations of concepts to share with others
Develop a data analysis project using a real-world dataset
Work on a practical project involving data analysis techniques, solidifying your understanding and giving you hands-on experience in applying these skills to real-world data.
Show steps
  • Identify a research question or problem to address
  • Gather and clean the necessary data
  • Analyze the data using appropriate statistical methods
  • Interpret the results and draw conclusions
  • Present your findings in a report or presentation

Career center

Learners who complete Advanced Topics in Healthcare Data Analysis will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Reading list

We've selected 49 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Advanced Topics in Healthcare Data Analysis.
Classic text on bootstrapping. It provides a detailed overview of the theory and practice of bootstrapping, and it includes many examples and applications.
Considered a foundational text in the field, this book provides a comprehensive theoretical framework for understanding and handling missing data. It covers various methods, including maximum likelihood and multiple imputation, and is suitable for those seeking a deep understanding of the statistical principles involved. is often used as a textbook in graduate-level statistics programs and valuable reference for researchers.
Is highly regarded for its practical approach to causal inference, particularly within epidemiology and health sciences. It covers essential concepts and methods like propensity scores and outcome modeling in detail. It's a valuable resource for both students and practitioners, often used as a textbook in public health and statistics programs. The online version is freely available, making it highly accessible.
Offers a practical and accessible approach to missing data analysis, focusing on applying methods in real-world research. It covers a range of techniques, including multiple imputation and maximum likelihood, with clear explanations and examples. This book is highly recommended for applied researchers and graduate students who need to implement missing data procedures in their work. The second edition includes recent developments and expanded coverage of Bayesian estimation and other timely topics.
Offers a contemporary and accessible introduction to causal inference, particularly aimed at social scientists. It includes code examples in R and Stata and covers a range of modern techniques. It's a good resource for students and researchers looking for practical guidance and intuition. The free online version makes it highly accessible.
Written for a broad audience, this book provides a conceptual overview of causal inference and its history, emphasizing the power of causal diagrams. It's an excellent resource for gaining a broad understanding and appreciating the 'causal revolution.' While not a technical textbook, it's a must-read for anyone wanting to grasp the intuition behind causal thinking and its implications across various fields.
Focusing specifically on multiple imputation, this book provides a detailed guide to this powerful technique for handling missing data. The author key developer of the MICE package in R, and the book includes practical guidance and examples using this software. is particularly useful for researchers and practitioners who plan to use multiple imputation in their data analysis. The second edition incorporates recent developments in the field.
Practical guide to bootstrapping. It provides step-by-step instructions on how to use bootstrapping to analyze data in R.
Covers up-to-date statistical theories and computational methods for analyzing incomplete data. It delves into topics such as likelihood-based approaches, imputation techniques (including fractional imputation), propensity score methods, and methods for nonignorable missing data. It is aimed at researchers and graduate students in statistics and includes real and simulated data examples.
This comprehensive textbook provides a thorough introduction to causal inference based on the potential outcomes framework. It covers a wide range of topics and is suitable for graduate students and researchers in statistics, social sciences, and biomedical sciences. It is considered a foundational text in the potential outcomes tradition.
Specifically addresses missing data issues within the context of clinical trials. It covers the challenges and appropriate methods for handling missing data in this specific domain, which aligns with the healthcare data analysis aspect of the provided course names. It's a valuable resource for researchers and statisticians working in clinical research.
Delves into modern causal machine learning techniques and their implementation in Python using libraries like DoWhy and EconML. It's aimed at practitioners and researchers interested in the cutting edge of causal inference and its integration with machine learning.
This foundational and comprehensive text by a pioneer in the field of causal inference. It delves deeply into the theoretical underpinnings of causal reasoning, graphical models, and counterfactuals. It is considered a classic and a crucial reference for researchers and graduate students seeking a deep understanding of the theory.
Offers practical methods for analyzing missing data, emphasizing the reasoning behind the techniques. It covers both frequentist and Bayesian perspectives and provides guidance on pragmatic issues such as selecting the number of imputations. This book valuable resource for applied statisticians and researchers looking for practical advice and a bridge between design-based and model-based perspectives.
Provides a thorough treatment of causal inference methods with a strong emphasis on applications in the social sciences. It covers various approaches, including the potential outcomes framework and graphical models, with detailed examples. It's a valuable resource for graduate students and researchers in sociology, political science, and other social disciplines.
Provides a rigorous foundation in causal inference with a focus on the relationship between causality and machine learning. It's particularly relevant for those with a background in computer science or statistics interested in causal discovery methods. While it can be more technical, it offers valuable insights into modern approaches.
This practical book focuses on applying causal inference techniques using Python, with examples relevant to the tech industry. It's a great resource for data scientists and practitioners who want to implement causal inference methods in a popular programming language. It bridges the gap between theory and application.
Examines the role of matching in economic markets, with a focus on market design and the allocation of resources.
Provides a detailed account of multiple imputation and its applications. While one review noted potential issues with clarity in an earlier edition, the topic and authors are highly relevant to contemporary missing data practice. It is suitable for researchers and practitioners focusing on applying multiple imputation.
Provides a comprehensive treatment of network flows and matching, with a focus on algorithms and their applications.
Focuses specifically on the design and analysis of observational studies for causal inference. It provides a deep understanding of the challenges and methods involved in drawing causal conclusions from non-randomized data. It's an important resource for researchers in various fields who work with observational data.
Provides a hands-on approach to causal inference using the R programming language. It covers a range of techniques with practical examples and code snippets. It's a valuable resource for students and practitioners who prefer to work with R for causal analysis.
Focuses on advanced topics in causal inference, specifically mediation and interaction analysis. It provides a comprehensive overview of recent methodological developments in these areas from a causal inference perspective. It's a valuable resource for researchers interested in exploring the mechanisms and effect modification in causal pathways.
Aims to make causal inference accessible to data scientists, focusing on practical applications and using causal graphs. It provides techniques for identifying causes from data, even without experiments. It's a good resource for data professionals looking to incorporate causal thinking into their work.
Delves into the theoretical aspects of handling missing data using semiparametric models. It more advanced text, suitable for those with a strong statistical background interested in the theoretical underpinnings of missing data methods. It covers topics like generalized estimating equations and Cox's proportional hazards model in the context of missing data.
Offers a more gentle introduction to causal inference compared to Rosenbaum's 'Design of Observational Studies.' It uses minimal mathematics and statistics, explaining key concepts through scientific examples. It's suitable for students and researchers looking for an accessible entry point into causal inference in observational studies.
This open-source material offers a light-hearted yet rigorous introduction to causal inference using Python. It covers core concepts and models with a focus on accessibility and practical application. It's a good resource for students and practitioners, particularly those with a data science background.
While focused on A/B testing, this book is highly relevant as A/B testing key method for establishing causality in online settings. It provides practical guidance for designing, implementing, and analyzing online experiments. It's a must-read for anyone involved in online controlled experiments and a valuable resource for understanding the practical application of causal principles.
Provides a comprehensive treatment of linear programming and network flows, with a focus on matching as a special case.
Provides a comprehensive treatment of approximation algorithms for NP-hard problems, with a focus on matching as a special case.
Provides a comprehensive treatment of the complexity of combinatorial optimization problems, with a focus on matching as a special case.
Presents a unified, Bayesian approach to the analysis of incomplete multivariate data, covering continuous, categorical, and mixed datasets. It focuses on making missing-data tools accessible and bridges the gap between theory and practice. While published in 1997, it remains a valuable resource for understanding likelihood-based and Bayesian approaches.
Examines causal inference specifically within the context of public health and social determinants of health. It discusses the application of causal concepts to complex social phenomena and offers a critical perspective on dominant frameworks. It's particularly relevant for students and researchers in public health, sociology, and related fields.
Provides an overview of causal analysis methods, likely covering a range of statistical and econometric techniques used for causal inference. It's a valuable resource for students and researchers seeking to understand different approaches to causal analysis.
This online resource provides a practical introduction to exploring, considering, and dealing with missing values, with a focus on using R. It covers finding, exploring, cleaning, investigating the reasons for missingness, and imputing missing values. It is suitable for those with basic R experience and offers practical guides and exercises.
While not solely focused on missing data, this comprehensive book on Bayesian data analysis includes significant discussion on handling missing data within a Bayesian framework. Given the mention of Bayesian statistics in the course names, this book would be a valuable resource for understanding how Bayesian methods can be applied to missing data problems. It widely recognized text in Bayesian statistics.
This classic text in the field of causal discovery, focusing on algorithms for learning causal structures from data. It's a more advanced and theoretical book, suitable for graduate students and researchers interested in the philosophical and algorithmic aspects of causal inference and discovery.
Focuses on the analysis of longitudinal data, which often involves missing values. While not exclusively about missing data, it provides essential background and methods for analyzing data collected over time, including techniques for handling incomplete longitudinal data. It is highly relevant for those working with repeated measurements in healthcare or social sciences.
Explores the theory and applications of matching under preferences, which subfield of matching theory that deals with matching problems where agents have preferences over potential partners.
Explores combinatorial auctions, which are a type of auction where bidders can submit bids on combinations of items. Matching theory plays a key role in the design and analysis of combinatorial auctions.

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