Likelihood‐based and marginal inference methods for recurrent event data with covariate measurement error

Recurrent event data arise commonly in medical and public health studies. The analysis of such data has received extensive research attention and various methods have been developed in the literature. Depending on the focus of scientific interest, the methods may be broadly classified as intensity‐based counting process methods, mean function‐based estimating equation methods, and the analysis of times to events or times between events. These methods and models cover a wide variety of practical applications. However, there is a critical assumption underlying those methods–variables need to be correctly measured. Unfortunately, this assumption is frequently violated in practice. It is quite common that some covariates are subject to measurement error. It is well known that covariate measurement error can substantially distort inference results if it is not properly taken into account. In the literature, there has been extensive research concerning measurement error problems in various settings. However, with recurrent events, there is little discussion on this topic. It is the objective of this paper to address this important issue. In this paper, we develop inferential methods which account for measurement error in covariates for models with multiplicative intensity functions or rate functions. Both likelihood‐based inference and robust inference based on estimating equations are discussed. The Canadian Journal of Statistics 40: 530–549; 2012 © 2012 Statistical Society of Canada     

A resampling approach to estimate variance components of multilevel models

In a multilevel model for complex survey data, the weight‐inflated estimators of variance components can be biased. We propose a resampling method to correct this bias. The performance of the bias corrected estimators is studied through simulations using populations generated from a simple random effects model. The simulations show that, without lowering the precision, the proposed procedure can reduce the bias of the estimators, especially for designs that are both informative and have small cluster sizes. Application of these resampling procedures to data from an artificial workplace survey provides further evidence for the empirical value of this method. The Canadian Journal of Statistics 40: 150–171; 2012 © 2012 Statistical Society of Canada     

Do Women Cause Unemployment? Evidence from Eight OECD Countries

ABSTRACT: In this paper the authors present the results of preliminary estimates on the effects of changes in the composition of labour forces throughout eight OECD countries during the period 1966-1986. The analysis proceeds in two steps. First, the effect of changes in the distribution of the labour force on group unemployment is computed. Second, the impact of this effect is combined with the direct effect of changes in the distribution of participation on total unemployment rates, to calculate a hypothetical unemployment rate which corresponds to what would have occured had there been no compositional changes. The paper challenges the thesis which sustains that alterations in the age-sex composition of the labour force have exerted an upward pressure on the aggregate unemployment rate.     

Day Care: The Problem of the Working Mother

The need for full day care for children whose mothers worked was recognized in Australia early in this century when three groups were established by the Sydney Day Nursery Association in 1905, the Queensland Creche and Kindergarten Association in 1907, and the Victorian Day Nursery Association in 1913. At this time the need was largely from single-parent families or from those in severely deprived circumstances. The number of centres remained small. Some subsidy was granted in certain cases by State governments.     

Introducing Research into Policy: Lessons from District Studies of Dryland Development in Sub‐Saharan Africa

This article describes the chief findings of research carried out in four African dryland areas to investigate the validity of the authors' ‘Machakos hypothesis’, and to derive lessons on appropriate enabling policies. The findings were subsequently submitted to in‐country validation and dissemination exercises. The lessons learnt from these in regard to introducing research findings into country policy dialogues are set against the background of current discussion of this issue. The article also discusses uptake at the international level, because it tends to be at this level that development paradigms and practices are formulated and promoted into countries through donor and agency actions.