Observational Studies

by Rosenbaum, Paul R.

• ISBN13: 9780387989679
• ISBN10: 0387989676
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2002-01-01
• Publisher: Springer

Summary

An Observational study is an empiric investigation of the effects caused by a treatment, policy, or intervention in which it is not possible to assign subjects at random to treatment or control, as would be done in a controlled experiment. Observational studies are common in most fields that study the effects of treatments on people. The second edition of Observational Studies is about 50 percent longer than the first edition, with many new examples and methods. There are new chapters on nonadditive models for treatment effects (Chapter 5) and planning observational studies (Chapter 11) and Chapter 9, on coherence, has been extensively rewritten. Paul R. Rosenbaum is Robert G. Putzel Professor, Department of Statistics, The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He is a fellow of the American Statistical Association.

Author Biography

Paul R. Rosenbaum is Robert G. Putzel Professor, Department of Statistics, The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He is a fellow of the American Statistical Association

Table of Contents

Observational Studies	1	(18)
What Are Observational Studies?	1	(1)
Some Observational Studies	2	(8)
Purpose of This Book	10	(1)
Bibliographic Notes	11	(5)
References	16	(3)
Randomized Experiments	19	(52)
Introduction and Example: A Randomized Clinical Trial	19	(2)
The Lady Tasting Tea	21	(2)
Randomized Experiments	23	(4)
Testing the Hypothesis of No Treatment Effect	27	(13)
Simple Models for Treatment Effects	40	(4)
Confidence Intervals	44	(2)
Point Estimates	46	(4)
*More Complex Outcomes	50	(4)
*Appendix: Effect Increasing Tests Under Alternatives	54	(1)
*Appendix: The Set of Treatment Assignments	55	(8)
Bibliographic Notes	63	(1)
Problems	64	(2)
References	66	(5)
Overt Bias in Observational Studies	71	(34)
Introduction: An Example and Planning Adjustments	71	(6)
Adjustments by Exact Stratification and Matching	77	(6)
Case-Referent Studies	83	(3)
*Small Sample Inference with an Unknown Propensity Score	86	(4)
*Large Sample Inference with an Unknown Propensity Score	90	(2)
*Inexact Matching Followed by Stratification	92	(7)
Bibliographic Notes	99	(1)
Problems	100	(1)
References	100	(5)
Sensitivity to Hidden Bias	105	(66)
What is a Sensitivity Analysis?	105	(1)
A Model for Sensitivity Analysis	106	(4)
Matched Pairs	110	(9)
Sensitivity Analysis for Sign-Score Statistics	119	(16)
Multiple Controls and Continuous Responses	135	(5)
Sensitivity Analysis for Two Unmatched Groups	140	(11)
Appendix: Technical Results and Proofs	151	(7)
Bibliographic Notes	158	(1)
Problems	158	(5)
References	163	(8)
Models for Treatment Effects	171	(34)
Effects That Vary from Person to Person	171	(2)
Order Statistics	173	(1)
Dilated Effects	173	(7)
Instrumental Variables	180	(8)
Attributable Effects: Binary Responses	188	(4)
Attributable Effects: Displacements	192	(3)
Inference About a Quantile	195	(3)
Bibliographic Notes	198	(1)
Problems	198	(1)
Appendix: Minimum Wage Data	199	(2)
References	201	(4)
Known Effects	205	(26)
Detecting Hidden Bias Using Known Effects	205	(9)
An Outcome Known to be Unaffected by the Treatment	214	(7)
An Outcome with Known Direction of Effect	221	(1)
*The Behavior of T* with Nonnegative Effects	222	(1)
Bias of Known Direction	223	(3)
Bibliographic Notes	226	(1)
Problems	226	(1)
References	227	(4)
Multiple Reference Groups in Case-Referent Studies	231	(22)
Multiple Reference Groups	231	(6)
Matched Studies with Two Referent Groups	237	(7)
*Appendix: Selection and Hidden Bias	244	(2)
*Appendix: Derivation of Bounds for Sensitivity Analysis	246	(2)
Bibliographic Notes	248	(1)
Problems	249	(1)
References	250	(3)
Multiple Control Groups	253	(24)
The Role of a Second Control Group	253	(10)
Selecting Control Groups	263	(2)
Comparing Outcomes in Two Control Groups	265	(4)
Bibliographic Notes	269	(1)
Problems	270	(2)
References	272	(5)
Coherence and Focused Hypotheses	277	(18)
Coherent Associations	277	(2)
Signed Rank Statistics for Coherent Predictions	279	(3)
Example: Do Anesthetic Gases Cause Mutations?	282	(3)
*Properties of the Coherent Signed Rank Test	285	(1)
Some Other Forms of Coherence	285	(1)
Strengths and Limitations of Coherence	286	(2)
*Appendix: Arrangement-Increasing Functions of Matrices	288	(1)
Bibliographic Notes	289	(1)
Problems	290	(1)
References	290	(5)
Constructing Matched Sets and Strata	295	(38)
Introduction: Propensity Scores, Structures, Algorithms	295	(1)
The Propensity Score	296	(6)
Optimal Strata	302	(9)
Optimal Matching	311	(11)
Bibliographic Notes	322	(1)
Software	322	(1)
Problems	323	(5)
References	328	(5)
Planning an Observational Study	333	(34)
Introduction and Some Ground Rules	333	(3)
Three Observational Studies	336	(3)
Choice of Research Hypothesis	339	(3)
A Control Group	342	(2)
Defining Treated and Control Groups	344	(3)
Competing Theories	347	(4)
Internal Replication	351	(1)
Nondose Nonresponse: An Absent Association	352	(1)
Stability Analyses	353	(2)
Abrupt, Short-Lived Treatments	355	(2)
Natural Blocks	357	(1)
Refute Several Alternative Explanations	358	(1)
Bibliographic Notes	358	(1)
Problems	358	(2)
References	360	(7)
Some Strategic Issues	367	(3)
What Are Strategic Issues?	367	(1)
Some Specific Suggestions	368	(1)
References	369	(1)
Index	370