When Does Differential Outcome Misclassification Matter for Estimating Prevalence?

ABSTRACT:

Background

When accounting for misclassification, investigators make assumptions about whether misclassification is "differential" or "nondifferential." Most guidance on differential misclassification considers settings where outcome misclassification varies across levels of exposure, or vice versa. Here, we examine when covariate-differential misclassification must be considered when estimating overall outcome prevalence.

Methods

We generated datasets with outcome misclassification under five data generating mechanisms. In each, we estimated prevalence using estimators that (a) ignored misclassification, (b) assumed misclassification was nondifferential, and (c) allowed misclassification to vary across levels of a covariate. We compared bias and precision in estimated preva

SUBMITTER: Edwards JK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10237297 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature