Dual and simultaneous sensitivity analysis for matched pairs

Citation
Jl. Gastwirth et al., Dual and simultaneous sensitivity analysis for matched pairs, BIOMETRIKA, 85(4), 1998, pp. 907-920
Citations number
31
Categorie Soggetti
Biology,Multidisciplinary,Mathematics
Journal title
BIOMETRIKA
ISSN journal
00063444 → ACNP
Volume
85
Issue
4
Year of publication
1998
Pages
907 - 920
Database
ISI
SICI code
0006-3444(199812)85:4<907:DASSAF>2.0.ZU;2-O
Abstract
When a study shows an association between a treatment and a response, befor e concluding that there is a causal relationship it is useful to assess whe ther or not an unobserved variable, U,might explain the observed associatio n. Sensitivity analysis clarifies the properties U must have in terms of it s relationship to the response and its imbalance in the groups being compar ed. A substantial literature has investigated the imbalance or association between U and group assignment. This paper develops a dual sensitivity anal ysis for matched pairs, focusing on the strength of the relationship betwee n U and the response required to reduce an observed association to non-sign ificance. A third simultaneous form of sensitivity analysis models both rel ationships between U and treatment assignment and U and response. The simul taneous form allows one to compare results from the sensitivity analysis to subject matter knowledge about both relationships. The methods are illustr ated by several examples.