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Arcos A, Franco L, Arcos M. Perceived Neighbourhood Disorder, Alcohol Consumption and Alcohol-Related Problems in Chile. Subst Use Misuse 2024; 59:979-988. [PMID: 38441646 DOI: 10.1080/10826084.2024.2305789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
Background: Alcohol misuse is one of the most important preventable public health risk factors. Empirical research shows that alcohol misuse is related to social and economic losses. Both theoretical and empirical evidence suggests that neighborhood disorder impacts alcohol-related behavior. However, there is limited literature in the context of developing countries. Objectives: The aim of this research is to estimate the association between perceived neighborhood disorder and (1) alcohol-related behavior and (2) alcohol-related problems in the context of the Chilean population. Our contribution focuses on the examination of the perception of disorder in urban neighborhoods and alcohol use patterns in a wide age range and sample of Chilean cities. Results: High levels of neighbor disorder perception are associated with higher levels of drinking and hazardous alcohol use. In addition, perceived neighborhood disorder is directly associated with probability of alcohol-related problems (ranging from 2% to 11%). Conclusions/Importance: The results are consistent with empirical and theoretical frameworks. This research could be used to better guide place-based policies in emerging countries with high levels of alcohol consumption to prevent alcohol risk behaviors and alcohol-related problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariel Arcos
- Department of Economics, North Catholic University, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Ledys Franco
- Department of Economics, North Catholic University, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Marcia Arcos
- Planning and Development Vice Rector, University of Los Lagos, Osorno, Chile
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2
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Mainzer RM, Nguyen CD, Carlin JB, Moreno‐Betancur M, White IR, Lee KJ. A comparison of strategies for selecting auxiliary variables for multiple imputation. Biom J 2024; 66:e2200291. [PMID: 38285405 PMCID: PMC7615727 DOI: 10.1002/bimj.202200291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
Multiple imputation (MI) is a popular method for handling missing data. Auxiliary variables can be added to the imputation model(s) to improve MI estimates. However, the choice of which auxiliary variables to include is not always straightforward. Several data-driven auxiliary variable selection strategies have been proposed, but there has been limited evaluation of their performance. Using a simulation study we evaluated the performance of eight auxiliary variable selection strategies: (1, 2) two versions of selection based on correlations in the observed data; (3) selection using hypothesis tests of the "missing completely at random" assumption; (4) replacing auxiliary variables with their principal components; (5, 6) forward and forward stepwise selection; (7) forward selection based on the estimated fraction of missing information; and (8) selection via the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO). A complete case analysis and an MI analysis using all auxiliary variables (the "full model") were included for comparison. We also applied all strategies to a motivating case study. The full model outperformed all auxiliary variable selection strategies in the simulation study, with the LASSO strategy the best performing auxiliary variable selection strategy overall. All MI analysis strategies that we were able to apply to the case study led to similar estimates, although computational time was substantially reduced when variable selection was employed. This study provides further support for adopting an inclusive auxiliary variable strategy where possible. Auxiliary variable selection using the LASSO may be a promising alternative when the full model fails or is too burdensome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rheanna M. Mainzer
- Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics UnitMurdoch Children's Research InstituteParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
- Department of PaediatricsThe University of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
| | - Cattram D. Nguyen
- Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics UnitMurdoch Children's Research InstituteParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
- Department of PaediatricsThe University of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
| | - John B. Carlin
- Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics UnitMurdoch Children's Research InstituteParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
- Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global HealthThe University of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
| | - Margarita Moreno‐Betancur
- Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics UnitMurdoch Children's Research InstituteParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
- Department of PaediatricsThe University of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
| | - Ian R. White
- MRC Clinical Trials UnitUniversity College LondonLondonUK
| | - Katherine J. Lee
- Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics UnitMurdoch Children's Research InstituteParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
- Department of PaediatricsThe University of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
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3
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Wang J, Huang P, Yu Q, Lu J, Liu P, Yang Y, Feng Z, Cai J, Yang G, Yuan H, Tang H, Lu Y. Epilepsy and long-term risk of arrhythmias. Eur Heart J 2023; 44:3374-3382. [PMID: 37602368 PMCID: PMC10499547 DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehad523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Previous evidence has mainly supported transient changes in cardiac function during interictal or peri-ictal phases in people with epilepsy, but the long-term risk of cardiac arrhythmias is poorly described. This study aimed to assess the long-term association of epilepsy with cardiac arrhythmias, considering the potential role of genetic predisposition and antiseizure medications (ASMs) in any associations observed. METHODS This population-based study evaluated UK Biobank data for individuals recruited between 2006 and 2010. Cox proportional hazards models and competing risk models were used to examine the association of epilepsy history with the long-term incidence risk of cardiac arrhythmias and arrhythmias subtypes. Polygenic risk scores (PRS) were calculated to investigate the effect of genetic susceptibility. The role of ASMs was also evaluated by integrating observational and drug target Mendelian randomization (MR) evidence. RESULTS The study included 329 432 individuals, including 2699 people with epilepsy. Compared with those without epilepsy, people with epilepsy experienced an increased risk of all cardiac arrhythmias [hazard ratio (HR) 1.36, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.21-1.53], atrial fibrillation (HR 1.26, 95% CI 1.08-1.46), and other cardiac arrhythmias (HR 1.56, 95% CI 1.34-1.81). The associations were not modified by genetic predisposition as indicated by PRS. Competing and sensitivity analyses corroborated these results. Individuals with epilepsy using ASMs, especially carbamazepine and valproic acid, were at a higher risk for cardiac arrhythmias. This observation was further supported by drug target MR results (PSMR < .05 and PHEIDI > .05). CONCLUSION This study revealed the higher risk of cardiac arrhythmias persists long term in people with epilepsy, especially among those using carbamazepine and valproic acid. These findings highlight the need for regular heart rhythm monitoring and management in people with epilepsy in order to reduce the risk of further cardiovascular complications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Wang
- Clinical Research Center, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 138 Tongzipo Road, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China
- Department of Cardiology, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 138 Tongzipo Road, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China
| | - Peiyuan Huang
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit (IEU), Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
| | - Qingwei Yu
- Clinical Research Center, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 138 Tongzipo Road, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 87 Xiangya Road, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
| | - Jun Lu
- Clinical Research Center, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 138 Tongzipo Road, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China
| | - Pinbo Liu
- Clinical Research Center, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 138 Tongzipo Road, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China
| | - Yiping Yang
- Clinical Research Center, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 138 Tongzipo Road, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China
| | - Zeying Feng
- Clinical Research Center, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 138 Tongzipo Road, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China
| | - Jingjing Cai
- Clinical Research Center, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 138 Tongzipo Road, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China
- Department of Cardiology, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 138 Tongzipo Road, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China
| | - Guoping Yang
- Clinical Research Center, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 138 Tongzipo Road, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China
| | - Hong Yuan
- Clinical Research Center, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 138 Tongzipo Road, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China
- Department of Cardiology, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 138 Tongzipo Road, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China
| | - Haibo Tang
- Department of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China
| | - Yao Lu
- Clinical Research Center, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 138 Tongzipo Road, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China
- Department of Cardiology, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 138 Tongzipo Road, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China
- Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King's College London, 150 Stamford Street, London SE1 9NH, UK
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Woods AD, Gerasimova D, Van Dusen B, Nissen J, Bainter S, Uzdavines A, Davis‐Kean PE, Halvorson M, King KM, Logan JAR, Xu M, Vasilev MR, Clay JM, Moreau D, Joyal‐Desmarais K, Cruz RA, Brown DMY, Schmidt K, Elsherif MM. Best practices for addressing missing data through multiple imputation. INFANT AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/icd.2407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/26/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Adrienne D. Woods
- Center for Learning and Development, Education SRI International Arlington Virginia USA
| | - Daria Gerasimova
- Kansas University Center on Developmental Disabilities University of Kansas Lawrence Kansas USA
| | - Ben Van Dusen
- School of Education Iowa State University Ames Iowa USA
| | - Jayson Nissen
- Nissen Education Research and Design Corvallis Oregon USA
| | - Sierra Bainter
- Department of Psychology University of Miami Coral Gables Florida USA
| | - Alex Uzdavines
- South Central Mental Illness Research Education, and Clinical Center, Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center Houston Texas USA
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Baylor College of Medicine Houston Texas USA
| | | | - Max Halvorson
- Department of Psychology University of Washington Seattle Washington USA
| | - Kevin M. King
- Department of Psychology University of Washington Seattle Washington USA
| | - Jessica A. R. Logan
- Department of Educational Studies The Ohio State University Columbus Ohio USA
| | - Menglin Xu
- Department of Internal Medicine The Ohio State University Columbus Ohio USA
| | | | - James M. Clay
- Department of Psychology University of Portsmouth Portsmouth UK
| | - David Moreau
- School of Psychology University of Auckland Auckland New Zealand
- Centre for Brain Research University of Auckland Auckland New Zealand
| | - Keven Joyal‐Desmarais
- Department of Health, Kinesiology, and Applied Physiology Concordia University Montreal Quebec Canada
- Montreal Behavioral Medicine Centre Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux du Nord‐de‐l'Île‐de‐Montréal Montreal Quebec Canada
| | - Rick A. Cruz
- Department of Psychology Arizona State University Tempe Arizona USA
| | - Denver M. Y. Brown
- Department of Psychology University of Texas at San Antonio San Antonio Texas USA
| | - Kathleen Schmidt
- School of Psychological and Behavioral Sciences Southern Illinois University Carbondale Illinois USA
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Lin P, Hillstrom K, Gottesman K, Jia Y, Kuo T, Robles B. Financial and Other Life Stressors, Psychological Distress, and Food and Beverage Consumption among Students Attending a Large California State University during the COVID-19 Pandemic. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:3668. [PMID: 36834363 PMCID: PMC9965632 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20043668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic abruptly disrupted the daily lives and health of college students across the United States. This study investigated several stressors (e.g., financial strain/uncertainty), psychological distress, and dietary behaviors among college students attending a large state university during the pandemic. A cross-sectional online survey was administered to students from the California State University, Los Angeles between April and May 2021 (final analytic sample n = 736). Differences in gender and race/ethnicity were examined using chi-square, t-test, and one-way ANOVA tests. Paired t-tests were performed to compare variables before and during the pandemic. Negative binomial regression models examined the associations between various stressors, psychological distress, and three key dietary outcomes. Descriptive results showed that the consumption of fruits and vegetables, fast food, and sugary beverages, along with psychological distress, all increased during the pandemic. Significant differences in fruit and vegetable and fast food consumption by gender and race/ethnicity were also observed. In the regression models, several stressors, including financial strain and psychological distress, were associated with unfavorable food and beverage consumption, thereby suggesting that college students may need more support in mitigating these stressors so they do not manifest as poor dietary behaviors. Poor diet quality is associated with poor physical health outcomes such as premature development of type 2 diabetes or hypertension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulina Lin
- Department of Epidemiology, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, P.O. Box 951722, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Kathryn Hillstrom
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science, California State University, Los Angeles, 5151 State University Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90032, USA
| | - Kimberly Gottesman
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science, California State University, Los Angeles, 5151 State University Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90032, USA
| | - Yuane Jia
- School of Health Professions, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, 65 Bergen St., Newark, NJ 07101, USA
| | - Tony Kuo
- Department of Epidemiology, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, P.O. Box 951722, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Department of Family Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, 10880 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 1800, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA
- Population Health Program, UCLA Clinical and Translational Science Institute, 10833 Le Conte Ave., BE-144 CHS, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Brenda Robles
- Research Group on Statistics, Econometrics, and Health (GRECS), University of Girona, Carrer de la Universitat de Girona 10, Campus de Montilivi, 17003 Girona, Spain
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Malatesta S, Weir IR, Weber SE, Bouton TC, Carney T, Theron D, Myers B, Horsburgh CR, Warren RM, Jacobson KR, White LF. Methods for handling missing data in serially sampled sputum specimens for mycobacterial culture conversion calculation. BMC Med Res Methodol 2022; 22:297. [PMID: 36402979 PMCID: PMC9675206 DOI: 10.1186/s12874-022-01782-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The occurrence and timing of mycobacterial culture conversion is used as a proxy for tuberculosis treatment response. When researchers serially sample sputum during tuberculosis studies, contamination or missed visits leads to missing data points. Traditionally, this is managed by ignoring missing data or simple carry-forward techniques. Statistically advanced multiple imputation methods potentially decrease bias and retain sample size and statistical power. METHODS We analyzed data from 261 participants who provided weekly sputa for the first 12 weeks of tuberculosis treatment. We compared methods for handling missing data points in a longitudinal study with a time-to-event outcome. Our primary outcome was time to culture conversion, defined as two consecutive weeks with no Mycobacterium tuberculosis growth. Methods used to address missing data included: 1) available case analysis, 2) last observation carried forward, and 3) multiple imputation by fully conditional specification. For each method, we calculated the proportion culture converted and used survival analysis to estimate Kaplan-Meier curves, hazard ratios, and restricted mean survival times. We compared methods based on point estimates, confidence intervals, and conclusions to specific research questions. RESULTS The three missing data methods lead to differences in the number of participants achieving conversion; 78 (32.8%) participants converted with available case analysis, 154 (64.7%) converted with last observation carried forward, and 184 (77.1%) converted with multiple imputation. Multiple imputation resulted in smaller point estimates than simple approaches with narrower confidence intervals. The adjusted hazard ratio for smear negative participants was 3.4 (95% CI 2.3, 5.1) using multiple imputation compared to 5.2 (95% CI 3.1, 8.7) using last observation carried forward and 5.0 (95% CI 2.4, 10.6) using available case analysis. CONCLUSION We showed that accounting for missing sputum data through multiple imputation, a statistically valid approach under certain conditions, can lead to different conclusions than naïve methods. Careful consideration for how to handle missing data must be taken and be pre-specified prior to analysis. We used data from a TB study to demonstrate these concepts, however, the methods we described are broadly applicable to longitudinal missing data. We provide valuable statistical guidance and code for researchers to appropriately handle missing data in longitudinal studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha Malatesta
- Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, 801 Massachusetts Ave, 3rd Floor, Boston, MA, 02119, USA.
| | - Isabelle R Weir
- Center for Biostatistics in AIDS Research in the Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sarah E Weber
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Tara C Bouton
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Tara Carney
- Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Tygerberg, South Africa
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Groote Schuur Hospital, Observatory, Cape Town, South Africa
| | | | - Bronwyn Myers
- Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Tygerberg, South Africa
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Groote Schuur Hospital, Observatory, Cape Town, South Africa
- Curtin enAble Institute, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
| | - C Robert Horsburgh
- Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, 801 Massachusetts Ave, 3rd Floor, Boston, MA, 02119, USA
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Departments of Epidemiology and Global Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Robin M Warren
- DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Tuberculosis Research and South African Medical Research Council Centre for Tuberculosis Research, Cape Town, South Africa
- Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Karen R Jacobson
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Laura F White
- Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, 801 Massachusetts Ave, 3rd Floor, Boston, MA, 02119, USA
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Rezvan PH, Comulada WS, Fernández MI, Belin TR. Assessing Alternative Imputation Strategies for Infrequently Missing Items on Multi-item Scales. COMMUNICATIONS IN STATISTICS. CASE STUDIES, DATA ANALYSIS AND APPLICATIONS 2022; 8:682-713. [PMID: 36467970 PMCID: PMC9718541 DOI: 10.1080/23737484.2022.2115430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Health-science researchers often measure psychological constructs using multi-item scales and encounter missing items on some participants. Multiple imputation (MI) has emerged as an alternative to ad-hoc methods (e.g., mean substitution) for handling incomplete data on multi-item scales, appealingly reflecting available information while accounting for uncertainty due to missing values in a unified inferential framework. However, MI can be implemented in a variety of ways. When the number of variables to impute gets large, some strategies yield unstable estimates of quantities of interest while others are not technically feasible to implement. These considerations raise pragmatic questions about the extent to which ad-hoc procedures would yield statistical properties that are competitive with theoretically motivated methods. Drawing on an HIV study where depression and anxiety symptoms are measured with multi-item scales, this empirical investigation contrasts ad-hoc methods for handling missing items with various MI implementations that differ as to whether imputation is at the item-level or scale-level and how auxiliary variables are incorporated. While the findings are consistent with previous reports favoring item-level imputation when feasible to implement, we found only subtle differences in statistical properties across procedures, suggesting that weaknesses of ad-hoc procedures may be muted when missing data percentages are modest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panteha Hayati Rezvan
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, U.S.A
| | - W. Scott Comulada
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, U.S.A
- Department of Health Policy and Management, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A
| | - M. Isabel Fernández
- College of Osteopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Miami, Florida, U.S.A
| | - Thomas R. Belin
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, U.S.A
- Department of Biostatistics, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A
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8
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Rösel I, Serna-Higuita LM, Al Sayah F, Buchholz M, Buchholz I, Kohlmann T, Martus P, Feng YS. What difference does multiple imputation make in longitudinal modeling of EQ-5D-5L data? Empirical analyses of simulated and observed missing data patterns. Qual Life Res 2022; 31:1521-1532. [PMID: 34797507 PMCID: PMC9023409 DOI: 10.1007/s11136-021-03037-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Although multiple imputation is the state-of-the-art method for managing missing data, mixed models without multiple imputation may be equally valid for longitudinal data. Additionally, it is not clear whether missing values in multi-item instruments should be imputed at item or score-level. We therefore explored the differences in analyzing the scores of a health-related quality of life questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L) using four approaches in two empirical datasets. METHODS We used simulated (GR dataset) and observed missingness patterns (ABCD dataset) in EQ-5D-5L scores to investigate the following approaches: approach-1) mixed models using respondents with complete cases, approach-2) mixed models using all available data, approach-3) mixed models after multiple imputation of the EQ-5D-5L scores, and approach-4) mixed models after multiple imputation of EQ-5D 5L items. RESULTS Approach-1 yielded the highest estimates of all approaches (ABCD, GR), increasingly overestimating the EQ-5D-5L score with higher percentages of missing data (GR). Approach-4 produced the lowest scores at follow-up evaluations (ABCD, GR). Standard errors (0.006-0.008) and mean squared errors (0.032-0.035) increased with increasing percentages of simulated missing GR data. Approaches 2 and 3 showed similar results (both datasets). CONCLUSION Complete cases analyses overestimated the scores and mixed models after multiple imputation by items yielded the lowest scores. As there was no loss of accuracy, mixed models without multiple imputation, when baseline covariates are complete, might be the most parsimonious choice to deal with missing data. However, multiple imputation may be needed when baseline covariates are missing and/or more than two timepoints are considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inka Rösel
- Institute for Clinical Epidemiology and Applied Biostatistics, Medical University of Tübingen, Silcherstraße 5, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
- Medical Clinic, Department of Sports Medicine, University Hospital Tuebingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Lina María Serna-Higuita
- Institute for Clinical Epidemiology and Applied Biostatistics, Medical University of Tübingen, Silcherstraße 5, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Fatima Al Sayah
- Alberta PROMs and EQ-5D Research and Support Unit (APERSU), School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Alberta, Canada
| | - Maresa Buchholz
- Institute for Nursing Science and Interprofessional Education, Medical University Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Ines Buchholz
- Institute for Community Medicine, Medical University Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Thomas Kohlmann
- Institute for Community Medicine, Medical University Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Peter Martus
- Institute for Clinical Epidemiology and Applied Biostatistics, Medical University of Tübingen, Silcherstraße 5, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - You-Shan Feng
- Institute for Clinical Epidemiology and Applied Biostatistics, Medical University of Tübingen, Silcherstraße 5, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
- Institute for Community Medicine, Medical University Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
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9
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Mainzer R, Apajee J, Nguyen CD, Carlin JB, Lee KJ. A comparison of multiple imputation strategies for handling missing data in multi-item scales: Guidance for longitudinal studies. Stat Med 2021; 40:4660-4674. [PMID: 34102709 DOI: 10.1002/sim.9088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Revised: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Medical research often involves using multi-item scales to assess individual characteristics, disease severity, and other health-related outcomes. It is common to observe missing data in the scale scores, due to missing data in one or more items that make up that score. Multiple imputation (MI) is a popular method for handling missing data. However, it is not clear how best to use MI in the context of scale scores, particularly when they are assessed at multiple waves of data collection resulting in large numbers of items. The aim of this article is to provide practical advice on how to impute missing values in a repeatedly measured multi-item scale using MI when inference on the scale score is of interest. We evaluated the performance of five MI strategies for imputing missing data at either the item or scale level using simulated data and a case study based on four waves of the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC). MI was implemented using both multivariate normal imputation and fully conditional specification, with two rules for calculating the scale score. A complete case analysis was also performed for comparison. Based on our results, we caution against the use of a MI strategy that does not include the scale score in the imputation model(s) when the scale score is required for analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rheanna Mainzer
- Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics Unit, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jemishabye Apajee
- Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics Unit, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Quality Use of Medicines and Pharmacy Research Centre, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Cattram D Nguyen
- Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics Unit, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - John B Carlin
- Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics Unit, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Katherine J Lee
- Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics Unit, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
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