Lies, Damn Lies - And Statistics.

[Grianane]

http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/Health-dire...over.4216421.jp

 

the DHSS seems to be consistent in its attempts to ensure that people don't get provided with all the facts (fluoridation), don't get informed about what they are doing (closure of care homes) and now are to be provided only with carefully presented statistics presumeably to ensure they are interpreted in the "right way"

[Chinahand]

I noticed reports about the cancer statistics and wondered about it.

 

Where cancer rates are in the order of 10 per 100,000 then individual cases can produce a large swing in the reported rate in a population as small as the Island.

 

Pure and utter speculation, but I suspect either a peak or a trough which needs putting in context - hence wanting to analyse more years, and ensure the comparison is with similar populations and not based on statistics for millions of people. The peak (or trough) could literally be one person getting (or not getting) a rare cancer - the fact that you can't have half a person or whatever makes the statistics very "granular" at small population sizes which makes interpreting them difficult.

 

I totally understand them wanting to make sure they understand what they are seeing before releasing the figure. They've not said they won't release them, just that they want to ensure when they are released people are comparing apples with apples.

[Lonan3]

I noticed reports about the cancer statistics and wondered about it.

I've always wondered about those statistics.

My foster father had cancer; it spread through his body until he was hospitalised for the last time.

When he died, the primary cause of death, on the certificate, was heart failure.

I'm convinced that there are many such cases - not only because of our proximity to Windscale Sellafield - but also because so many of us spent many years living in the asbestos-lined houses of old Pulrose.

I think the actual number of deaths from cancer on the island will never be accurately known.