Abstract

Statistical analyses of the joint effects of several factors (covariates) on the risk of disease, death, or other dichotomous outcomes, are frequently based on a model that relates the effect of the covariates to some function of the probability of the outcome. The odds ratio, relative risk, and the difference in risks are among the simplest candidates for the outcome function. Each can be specified as a special case of the generalized linear model, but their use has been limited to researchers with access to specialized computer programs that are not yet generally available in standard computer packages. The purpose of this communication is to describe how to implement the maximum likelihood estimation procedures and hypothesis testing associated with the generalized linear model using any computer program that can perform weighted least squares analyses. The procedure is applied specifically to models for relative risks, risk differences, and odds ratios. The techniques are illustrated with SAS and SPSSx programs for data sets previously presented.

Keywords

Relative riskOdds ratioMedicineOddsRegression analysisRegressionStatisticsRisk assessmentLogistic regressionEnvironmental healthDemographyConfidence intervalMathematicsComputer scienceInternal medicine

MeSH Terms

ComputersEpidemiologic MethodsHumansModelsBiologicalRegression Analysis

Related Publications

Publication Info

Year
1987
Type
article
Volume
126
Issue
2
Pages
346-355
Citations
24
Access
Closed

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Cite This

Sylvan Wallenstein, Carol Bodian (1987). INFERENCES ON ODDS RATIOS, RELATIVE RISKS, AND RISK DIFFERENCES BASED ON STANDARD REGRESSION PROGRAMS. American Journal of Epidemiology , 126 (2) , 346-355. https://doi.org/10.1093/aje/126.2.346

Identifiers

DOI
10.1093/aje/126.2.346
PMID
3605061

Data Quality

Data completeness: 81%