Statistical Analysis of Air Pollution Panel Studies: An Illustration

Purpose The panel study design is commonly used to evaluate the short-term health effects of air pollution. Standard statistical methods are available for analyzing longitudinal data, but the literature reveals that these methods are poorly understood by practitioners. Methods We review standard sta...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Annals of epidemiology 2008-10, Vol.18 (10), p.792-802
Main Authors: Janes, Holly, PhD, Sheppard, Lianne, PhD, Shepherd, Kristen, MS
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Air Pollutants - adverse effects
Air Pollution
Air Pollution - adverse effects
Air Pollution - statistics & numerical data
Child
Confounding Factors (Epidemiology)
Data Interpretation, Statistical
Environmental Exposure - adverse effects
Female
Humans
Internal Medicine
Longitudinal Data
Longitudinal Studies
Male
Models, Statistical
Models, Theoretical
Panel Study Design
Time Factors
Washington - epidemiology
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Summary:Purpose The panel study design is commonly used to evaluate the short-term health effects of air pollution. Standard statistical methods are available for analyzing longitudinal data, but the literature reveals that these methods are poorly understood by practitioners. Methods We review standard statistical methods for modeling longitudinal data. Marginal, conditional, and transitional approaches are reviewed and contrasted with respect to their parameter interpretation and methods for accounting for correlation and dealing with missing data. We also discuss techniques for controlling for time-dependent and time-independent confounding and for exploring and summarizing panel study data. Notes on available software are provided. Results These methods are illustrated by using data from the 1999 to 2002 Seattle Panel Study. Conclusions The quality of statistical analyses and presentation of results of panel studies could be improved if the methods we present were followed.
ISSN:1047-2797
1873-2585
DOI:10.1016/j.annepidem.2008.06.004