Statistical inference and the replication crisis

The replication crisis has prompted many to call for statistical reform within the psychological sciences. Here we examine issues within Frequentist statistics that may have led to the replication crisis, and we examine the alternative—Bayesian statistics—that many have suggested as a replacement. The Frequentist approach and the Bayesian approach offer radically different perspectives on evidence and inference with the Frequentist approach prioritising error control and the Bayesian approach offering a formal method for quantifying the relative strength of evidence for hypotheses. We suggest that rather than mere statistical reform, what is needed is a better understanding of the different modes of statistical inference and a better understanding of how statistical inference relates to scientific inference

Developing and Field Testing a Community Based Youth Initiative to Increase Tuberculosis Awareness in Remote Arctic Inuit Communities

<div><p>Background</p><p>Inuit in Canada have the highest reported tuberculosis (TB) incidence rate in Canada, even higher than other Canadian Indigenous groups. The aim of this study was to increase TB awareness among Inuit youth and their communities by equipping those who can best reach this population with a community based, youth focused, education initiative built on interventions adapted from a previous TB awareness study.</p><p>Methods</p><p>The Taima TB Youth Education Initiative was a field test case study of a knowledge translation (KT) strategy aimed at community members who provide health education in these communities. In the first stage of this study, interventions from a larger TB awareness campaign were adapted to focus on youth living in remote Inuit communities. During the second stage of the study, investigators field tested the initiative in two isolated Inuit communities. It was then applied by local implementation teams in two other communities. Evaluation criteria included feasibility, acceptability, knowledge uptake and health behavior change.</p><p>Results</p><p>Implementation of the adapted KT interventions resulted in participation of a total of 41 youth (19 females, 22 males) with an average age of 16 years (range 12–21 years) in four different communities in Nunavut. Community celebration events were attended by 271 community members where TB messaging were presented and discussed. All of the health care workers and community members surveyed reported that the adapted interventions were acceptable and a useful way of learning to some extent. Knowledge uptake measures indicated an average TB knowledge score of 64 out of 100. Local partners in all four communities indicated that they would use the Taima TB Youth Education Initiative again to raise awareness about TB among youth in their communities.</p><p>Conclusions</p><p>The TB awareness interventions adapted for the Taima TB Youth Education Initiative were acceptable to the Inuit communities involved in the study. They resulted in uptake of knowledge among participants. Implementation by local implementation teams was feasible as evidenced by the participation and attendance of youth and community members in all communities. The ability to implement the interventions by local implementation teams indicates there is potential to scale up in other remote communities in the arctic setting.</p></div

Youth participants.

<p>Youth participants.</p

Community Engagement.

<p>Process by which community leadership was engaged for this study.</p

Participating Communities.

<p>Participating Communities.</p

Barriers to application of original research interventions.

<p>Barriers to application of original research interventions.</p

TST and IGRA concordant and discordant results.

<p>TST and IGRA concordant and discordant results.</p

Multivariable logistic regression model for predictors of discordance between the TST and IGRA (TST+/IGRA− compared to TST−/IGRA−) adjusting for gender, ethnicity and repeated TSTs (n = 38).

<p>*BCG repeated refers to more than one BCG vaccine given on separate occasions.</p><p>Multivariable logistic regression model for predictors of discordance between the TST and IGRA (TST+/IGRA− compared to TST−/IGRA−) adjusting for gender, ethnicity and repeated TSTs (n = 38).</p

Univariable logistic regression model for predictors of discordance between the TST and IGRA (TST+/IGRA− compared to TST−/IGRA−) (n = 38).

<p>*defined as the 1^st year of life.</p><p>Univariable logistic regression model for predictors of discordance between the TST and IGRA (TST+/IGRA− compared to TST−/IGRA−) (n = 38).</p

Demographics of Iqaluit residents who accepted screening for LTBI in residential areas of high risk for TB^*.

<p>*More detailed description of the population <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0111986#pone.0111986-Alvarez1" target="_blank">[9]</a>.</p><p>**BCG vaccination was recorded only if records indicated that the vaccine was given or not given.</p><p>Demographics of Iqaluit residents who accepted screening for LTBI in residential areas of high risk for TB^{<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0111986#nt101" target="_blank">*</a>}.</p