Simple heterogeneity variance estimation for meta-analysis |
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Authors: | Kurex Sidik Jeffrey N Jonkman |
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Institution: | Wyeth Research, Princeton, USA; Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, USA |
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Abstract: | Summary. A simple method of estimating the heterogeneity variance in a random-effects model for meta-analysis is proposed. The estimator that is presented is simple and easy to calculate and has improved bias compared with the most common estimator used in random-effects meta-analysis, particularly when the heterogeneity variance is moderate to large. In addition, it always yields a non-negative estimate of the heterogeneity variance, unlike some existing estimators. We find that random-effects inference about the overall effect based on this heterogeneity variance estimator is more reliable than inference using the common estimator, in terms of coverage probability for an interval estimate. |
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Keywords: | Across-study variance Confidence intervals Variance estimation Weighted residual sum of squares |
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