THE EFFECT OF MISCLASSIFICATION IN THE PRESENCE OF COVARIATES
Abstract
The effects of misclassification on analyses involving a discrete covariate are examined. The following points are illustrated: 1) Analogous to the 2 X 2 table case, unbiased misclassification of the study exposure leads to reduction in the observed strength of the association of exposure with disease. 2) Both biased and unbiased misclassification will tend to distort the degree of heterogeneity in the measure of association being considered. 3) Misclassification of a confounder leads to a partial loss of ability to control confounding.
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When correlated risk factors are measured with different degrees of imprecision, the adjusted relative risk associated with them can be biased towards or away from unity.
“However, when correlated risk factors are measured with different degrees of imprecision, the adjusted relative risk associated with them can be biased towards or away from unity [ 204 – 206 ].”
From Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE): Explanation and Elaboration (2007) · cites this paper as [206]
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- Authors
- GREENLAND, S.
- Affiliations
- University of California, Los Angeles (US)
- Corresponding author
- GREENLAND, SANDER
- ORCID
- GREENLAND, SANDER
- Venue
- American Journal of Epidemiology
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 1980-10
- Volume
- 112
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 564-569
- ISSN
- 0002-9262 (ISSN-L)
- 1476-6256
- OpenAlex
- W2260689400
- Cited by
- 494
- References
- 1
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 15 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 18 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 19 · 2017: 14 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 11 · 2014: 19 · 2013: 18 · 2012: 21
- FWCI
- 2.60
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- American Journal of Epidemiology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- HighWire Press Open Archive (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Mathematics › Statistics and Probability › Statistical Methods in Epidemiology
- Physical Sciences › Mathematics › Statistics and Probability › Advanced Causal Inference Techniques
- Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Statistics, Probability and Uncertainty › Meta-analysis and systematic reviews
- Keywords
- misclassification, discrete covariates, confounding, exposure misclassification, associative strength, measurement error
- MeSH terms
- Biometry, Classification, Epidemiologic Methods, Humans
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