On the use of robust estimators for standard errors in the presence of clustering when clustering membership is misspecified.

ABSTRACT: This paper examines the implications of using robust estimators (REs) of standard errors in the presence of clustering when cluster membership is unclear as may commonly occur in clustered randomized trials. For example, in such trials, cluster membership may not be recorded for one or more treatment arms and/or cluster membership may be dynamic. When clusters are well defined, REs have properties that are robust to misspecification of the correlation structure. To examine whether results were sensitive to assumptions about the clustering membership, we conducted simulation studies for a two-arm clinical trial, where the number of clusters, the intracluster correlation (ICC), and the sample size varied. REs of standard errors that incorrectly assumed clustering of data that were truly inde

SUBMITTER: Desai M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3677755 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature