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An Investigation of the Significance of Residual Confounding Effect
Joint Authors
Liang, Wenbin
Lee, Andy H.
Zhao, Yuejen
Source
Issue
Vol. 2014, Issue 2014 (31 Dec. 2014), pp.1-6, 6 p.
Publisher
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Publication Date
2014-02-17
Country of Publication
Egypt
No. of Pages
6
Main Subjects
Abstract EN
Background.
Observational studies are commonly conducted in health research.
However, due to their lack of randomization, the estimated associations between the outcome and the exposure can be affected by unmeasured confounding factors.
It is important to determine how likely a significant association observed between an outcome variable and a noncausally related exposure may be introduced by residual confounding factors.
Methods.
A simulation approach is developed based on the sufficient cause model to test the likelihood of significant associations observed between a noncausally related exposure and the outcome.
Results.
Based on the estimates from all 500 replicates, the association between the exposure and the outcome is found to be significant in 386 (77%) replicates when all confounders (component causes) are controlled for in the model.
However, when a subset of real component causes and some noncausal factors are controlled for in the model, the association between exposure and the outcome becomes significant in 487 (97%) replicates.
Conclusion.
Even when all confounding factors are known and controlled for using conventional multivariate analysis, the observed association between exposure and outcome can still be dominated by residual confounding effects.
Therefore, an observed significant association apparently provides limited evidence for a causal relationship.
American Psychological Association (APA)
Liang, Wenbin& Zhao, Yuejen& Lee, Andy H.. 2014. An Investigation of the Significance of Residual Confounding Effect. BioMed Research International،Vol. 2014, no. 2014, pp.1-6.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-488860
Modern Language Association (MLA)
Liang, Wenbin…[et al.]. An Investigation of the Significance of Residual Confounding Effect. BioMed Research International No. 2014 (2014), pp.1-6.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-488860
American Medical Association (AMA)
Liang, Wenbin& Zhao, Yuejen& Lee, Andy H.. An Investigation of the Significance of Residual Confounding Effect. BioMed Research International. 2014. Vol. 2014, no. 2014, pp.1-6.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-488860
Data Type
Journal Articles
Language
English
Notes
Includes bibliographical references
Record ID
BIM-488860