For this exercise, you will reflect on the Migraine study survival analysis and multiple choice questions described in Chapter 15 in your Statistics for the Health Sciences text.

Download Data Files

Download the Data Files for Chapter 15 [ZIP].

Please take some time to explore each data set to see how it was constructed.

Complete Exercises

Use this week’s readings and multimedia resources to complete the following: Kaplan-Meier curve and life table and log-rank (Mantel-Haenszel) test using data from the “Migraine Example with Censored data.” Interpret the results.

Answer multiple choice questions 8 through 13 at the end of Chapter 15 in your Statistics for the Health Sciences text.
Reflect on the survival analysis in your Statistics for the Health Sciences text.
Identify the benefits and limitations of using a Kaplan-Meier survival analysis for the data from the Migraine study.
Describe a context where you may use a survival analysis in your current or future career.

File Submissions

Upload a Word file with:

Your multiple-choice question responses.
Survival analysis reflections.
Appropriate graphics or tables copied from the output and pasted into the Word document. Interpret and report the test results in properly formatted APA style.
Upload the .jasp file with the correct analyses and output saved.

Struggling with where to start this assignment? Follow this guide to tackle your assignment easily!

Below is a structured, student-friendly roadmap to help you complete each part of your assignment efficiently and confidently.

Step-by-Step Guide for Completing Your Assignment

Step 1: Download and Explore the Data Files

Download the Chapter 15 Data Files (ZIP) from your course.
Extract the folder and open the dataset titled “Migraine Example with Censored Data.”
Spend a few minutes reviewing the variables:
- Time (survival time)
- Status (event/censored)
- Grouping variable (if applicable)

Tutor Tip:
Understanding what each variable represents will make later analysis much easier.

Step 2: Load the Data into JASP

Open JASP.
Import the migraine dataset (.csv, .sav, or provided format).
Verify that:
- Event indicator is coded correctly (1 = event occurred, 0 = censored).
- Time variable is numeric.

Step 3: Create the Kaplan-Meier Curve

In JASP, go to Survival → Kaplan-Meier.
Assign:
- Time to the “Time” box.
- Status/Event to the “Status” box.
If comparing groups (e.g., treatment vs. control), add the group variable to “Group.”
Select:
- Survival Plot
- Risk table
- Confidence intervals (95%)

Interpretation Guidance:

Look for which group survives longer (higher curve).
Note when the steepest drops occur.
Identify how censoring points appear (tick marks).

Step 4: Generate the Life Table

In the same Kaplan-Meier window, enable Life Table.
Review:
- Number at risk per interval
- Number of events
- Survival probability per interval

Interpretation:
Explain survival changes over time and patterns of event occurrence.

Step 5: Run the Log-Rank (Mantel–Haenszel) Test

In the Kaplan-Meier options, check Log-rank test.
JASP will produce:
- Chi-square value
- p-value
- Interpretation of whether survival differs significantly between groups

How to Report in APA Style:
“Results from a log-rank test indicated a statistically significant difference in survival between groups, χ²(df)=X.XX, p=XXX.”

Step 6: Complete Multiple Choice Questions (8–13)

Use Chapter 15 in your Statistics for the Health Sciences textbook to answer each question.
Tutor Tip:
These MCQs often connect directly to definitions, assumptions, and interpretations of survival analysis—you can use your Kaplan-Meier output to support your understanding.

Step 7: Reflect on the Survival Analysis

In 1–2 paragraphs, address:

What you learned about survival analysis
How censoring affects survival curves
Why survival analysis is useful in health sciences

Step 8: Identify Benefits & Limitations of the Kaplan-Meier Method

Benefits:

Handles censored data well
Easy to visualize survival over time
Provides survival estimates at specific time points

Limitations:

Does not adjust for confounders (unlike Cox regression)
Less informative with small sample sizes
Group comparisons limited to categorical variables

Step 9: Describe How You Would Use Survival Analysis in Your Career

Choose one use case relevant to your field, such as:

Time until patient relapse
Time until hospital readmission
Equipment failure time (if in a technical/industrial field)
Time-to-graduation or retention modeling (education field)

Write a short paragraph explaining:

The event you want to study
Why time-to-event models are appropriate
What censored data might look like in your context

Step 10: Prepare Your Word Document

Your Word file must include:

Answers to MCQs 8–13
Kaplan-Meier curve (copy/paste from JASP)
Life table output
Log-rank test output
APA-style interpretation
Your reflections

Step 11: Upload Your .jasp File

Save your file in JASP:

Go to File → Save As
Upload it along with your Word document to the assignment portal.

Helpful Resource Links

Here are instructor-approved, open-access resources to support your learning:

Kaplan-Meier Basics (UCLA):
https://stats.oarc.ucla.edu/other/mult-pkg/faq/general/faq-what-is-survival-analysis/
Survival Analysis Overview (Penn State Online):
https://online.stat.psu.edu/stat508/lesson/10
Interpreting Kaplan-Meier Curves (BMJ)
https://www.bmj.com/content/346/bmj.f1494
JASP Survival Analysis Guide:
https://jasp-stats.org/2019/10/17/how-to-perform-survival-analysis-in-jasp/

If you’d like, I can also:
✅ Create a downloadable Word version of the guide
✅ Produce a formatted APA-style template for the assignment
✅ Generate example interpretations using placeholder numbers

Just tell me!

Kaplan-Meier Analysis and Multiple Choice Questions for Chapter 15