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COMPARISON OF METHODS FOR THE ANALYSIS OF PANEL STUDIES
Citation:
Hasselblad, V. COMPARISON OF METHODS FOR THE ANALYSIS OF PANEL STUDIES. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/1-78/043 (NTIS PB285066), 1978.
Description:
Three different methods of analysis of panels were compared using asthma panel data from a 1970-1971 study done by EPA in Riverhead, New York. The methods were (1) regression analysis using raw attack rates; (2) regression analysis using the ratio of observed attacks to expected attacks; and (3) discriminant analysis where repeated attacks were ignored. The first two methods were found to have serious serial correlation problems. The third method eliminated this problem, but reduced the effective sample size considerably. A more appropriate method was suggested for larger panels over shorter periods of time. The analyses of the Riverhead data showed that any sulfate effect on asthmatics was confounded with seasonal trends.