SISCR 2016 Module 4 Introduction to Survival Analysis

This module provides an introduction to survival data and survival analysis methods. We will introduce important functions and quantities for summarizing a survival distribution including the survival function, the hazard function, and the median survival time. We will also describe how censoring occurs in data and how it can be accommodated in estimates of functions like the Kaplan-Meier curve, and in the comparison of two groups using the logrank test. The module will explain key concepts such as risk sets and informative censoring. We will provide examples of studies where survival analysis is used and where it should not be used. The course will focus on application and understanding the concepts; mathematical details will be kept to a minimum.