An introduction to sensitivity analysis for unobserved confounding in nonexperimental prevention research.

ABSTRACT: Despite the fact that randomization is the gold standard for estimating causal relationships, many questions in prevention science are often left to be answered through nonexperimental studies because randomization is either infeasible or unethical. While methods such as propensity score matching can adjust for observed confounding, unobserved confounding is the Achilles heel of most nonexperimental studies. This paper describes and illustrates seven sensitivity analysis techniques that assess the sensitivity of study results to an unobserved confounder. These methods were categorized into two groups to reflect differences in their conceptualization of sensitivity analysis, as well as their targets of interest. As a motivating example, we examine the sensitivity of the association between

SUBMITTER: Liu W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3800481 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature