Overview
The Statistical Analysis and Research Programming (STARP) core aims to provide the Department of Surgery with high-quality statistical and programming expertise, with an emphasis on collaborative, ethical, and reproducible research to advance healthcare innovation.
Requests
If you are interested in collaborating with STARP, please read the STARP Support Guidelines and then complete the service request form: Make a request
Services
Study Design and Grant Application
We assist with study design and grant preparation through the selection of outcome variables, statistical analysis planning, power analysis and sample size calculation, and random assignment of treatment conditions. It is strongly recommended that investigators include STARP at the beginning or an early stage of their studies to ensure optimal study design and a statistically appropriate data analysis plan.
Database Management and Preparation
We work closely with the investigators in Wisconsin Surgical Outcomes Research Program (WiSOR) and throughout the Department of Surgery on research projects that utilize large national health outcomes databases, as well as UW Health’s HealthLink database. We provide database management, maintenance, patient cohort extraction, and analytic data set preparation. Please visit our Health Care Data Set page for a list of available outcomes databases.
Statistical Analysis and Results Interpretation
We perform research hypothesis testing and data analysis using a variety of statistical methods. The choice of statistical method depends on the study design, type of outcome measure, and research question. The statistical methods we can apply include (but are not limited to):
- Analysis of Variance (ANOVA)
• Linear Regression
• Logistic Regression
• Generalized Linear Model
• Survival Analysis (Kaplan-Meier, log-rank test, Cox proportional hazards models)
• Nonparametric Statistics
• Meta-Analysis
• Longitudinal Data Analysis
• Multilevel Modeling
• Structural Equation Modeling
• Machine Learning
We also interpret analysis results and translate statistical significance to clinical implications.
Evaluation of Measurement
We evaluate the psychometric properties of measurement instruments, including survey questionnaires. We can assess the reliability, validity, and factor structure of the instruments, as well as perform item and test analysis.
Manuscript and Presentation Assistance
We edit and provide feedback for manuscripts, abstracts, and presentations. We can also prepare a written description of statistical methods and generate summary tables and figures. We request the opportunity to review any publications which use work provided by STARP.
Consultation and Training
We provide consultation and training on study design, data creation and management (for both in-house and national databases), statistical analysis methods, and statistical software programs (including SAS®, R, SPSS, SQL, Python, and Stata). We also periodically hold lectures on statistical methods for residents, trainees, and other interested department members.
Contact
Please contact Lily Stalter with any questions regarding STARP.