Sample size calculations in health research: Contemporary issues and practices

Abstract

Sample size computations, which should be done at the planning stage of the study, are necessary for
research to estimate a population parameter or test a hypothesis. For causal analysis of observational
databases, sample size computations are generally not needed. Post-hoc power analyses, which are typically done with non-significant findings, should not be performed since reporting post-hoc power is nothing more than reporting p values differently. While sample size calculations are typically based on the tradition of significance testing, sample size calculations based on precision are feasible – if not preferred – alternatives. Sample size calculations depend on several factors such as the study objective, scale of measurement of the outcome variable, study design, and sampling design. Computing for sample size is not as straightforward as presented in textbooks but specific strategies may be resorted to in the face of challenges and constraints.