SUBJECT: PH521 BIOSTATISTICS

Assignment: Implications of Study Findings

For your signature assignment, provide a written report or summary of the following information below and should have the following sections: Introduction, methodology, analysis, results and conclusions.

RESEARCH TOPIC - Does vaping have greater harmful effects on the lungs than cigarette smoking in college students aged 18-24 who have smoked for over a year?

Introduction

Dear participant,

We invite you to participate in our survey, which aims to investigate the harmful effects of vaping and cigarette smoking on the lungs of college students aged 18-24 who have smoked for over a year. The purpose of this survey is to gather information on the prevalence of smoking and vaping among college students and to determine which habit has greater harmful effects on the lungs.

Your participation in this survey is entirely voluntary, and all responses will remain anonymous. Your honest answers will help us better understand the impact of smoking and vaping on the health of young adults and provide insights for developing effective smoking cessation programs. Thank you for your participation!

Survey Comments Page

Main research question: Does vaping have greater harmful effects on the lungs than cigarette smoking in college students aged 18-24 who have smoked for over a year?

Dependent variable question: How often do you experience lung-related symptoms, such as coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, or chest tightness, after smoking or vaping?

Independent variable question: What is your preferred method of smoking or nicotine intake?

Introduction

The purpose of this analysis is to investigate the potential harmful effects of vaping and cigarette smoking on the lungs of college students. The study focuses on students between the ages of 18 and 24 who have been smoking for over a year. The analysis will include a calculation of descriptive statistics for independent and dependent variables, bar and histogram charts, and hypothesis testing using a one-way ANOVA.

Research Question

Does vaping have greater harmful effects on the lungs than cigarette smoking in college students, ages 18-24, who have smoked over a year?

Methodology

The research collected data through a survey administered to 10 college students, ages 18-24, who have smoked for over a year. The survey included questions about demographic variables, smoking behavior, and opinions on the harmful effects of vaping and cigarette smoking on the lungs. The data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics, bar charts, and histograms.

Dependent Variable

The dependent variable of this study was whether the participant believed that vaping has greater harmful effects on the lungs than cigarette smoking. The majority of participants (60%) believed that vaping has greater harmful effects on the lungs than cigarette smoking, while 20% did not believe this and 20% were unsure.

a. Descriptive Statistics:

Variable	Category	Frequency	Percentage
Age	18-19	3	30%
	20-21	3	30%
	22-23	2	20%
	24 or above	2	20%
Gender	Male	4	40%
	Female	5	50%
	Non-binary	0	0%
	Prefer not to say	1	10%
Smoking Duration	Less than a year	1	10%
	1-2 years	3	30%
	3-4 years	1	10%
	5 or more years	5	50%
Smoking Status	Cigarettes only	2	20%
	E-cigarettes/vape only	3	30%
	Both cigarettes and e-cigarettes/vape	4	40%
	I do not smoke or use e-cigarettes/vape	1	10%
Frequency of Use	Daily	4	40%
	A few times a week	3	30%
	Occasionally	2	20%
	Rarely	1	10%
Lung-related Symptoms after Smoking or Vaping	Yes	3	30%
	No	7	70%
Belief about Harmful Effects on Lungs	Yes	4	40%
	No	3	30%
	Unsure	3	30%

b. Bar Chart: Participants' Gender and Ethnicity

• 50% Female, 30% Male, 20% No Answer
• No data on ethnicity was collected.