Testing Biased Randomization Assumptions and Quantifying Imperfect Matching and Residual Confounding in Matched Observational Studies

DOI10.1080/10618600.2022.2116447arXiv2107.00815WikidataQ114638945 ScholiaQ114638945MaRDI QIDQ6094081FDOQ6094081

Authors: Kan Chen, Siyu Heng, Qi Long, Bo Zhang 

Publication date: 9 October 2023

Published in: Journal of Computational and Graphical Statistics (Search for Journal in Brave)

Abstract: One central goal of design of observational studies is to embed non-experimental data into an approximate randomized controlled trial using statistical matching. Despite empirical researchers' best intention and effort to create high-quality matched samples, residual imbalance due to observed covariates not being well matched often persists. Although statistical tests have been developed to test the randomization assumption and its implications, few provide a means to quantify the level of residual confounding due to observed covariates not being well matched in matched samples. In this article, we develop two generic classes of exact statistical tests for a biased randomization assumption. One important by-product of our testing framework is a quantity called residual sensitivity value (RSV), which provides a means to quantify the level of residual confounding due to imperfect matching of observed covariates in a matched sample. We advocate taking into account RSV in the downstream primary analysis. The proposed methodology is illustrated by re-examining a famous observational study concerning the effect of right heart catheterization (RHC) in the initial care of critically ill patients. Code implementing the method can be found in the supplementary materials.

Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/2107.00815

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zbMATH Keywords

clusteringclassificationstatistical matchingresidual confoundingbiased randomization assumptionimperfect matching

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Statistics (62-XX)

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