Simulation methods to estimate design power: an overview for applied research.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Estimating the required sample size and statistical power for a study is an integral part of study design. For standard designs, power equations provide an efficient solution to the problem, but they are unavailable for many complex study designs that arise in practice. For such complex study designs, computer simulation is a useful alternative for estimating study power. Although this approach is well known among statisticians, in our experience many epidemiologists and social scientists are unfamiliar with the technique. This article aims to address this knowledge gap.

Methods

We review an approach to estimate study power for individual- or cluster-randomized designs using computer simulation. This flexible approach arises naturally from the model used to derive

SUBMITTER: Arnold BF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3146952 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature