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Activity Number: 68
Type: Contributed
Date/Time: Sunday, August 3, 2014 : 4:00 PM to 5:50 PM
Sponsor: ENAR
Abstract #312677 View Presentation
Title: Causal Inference with Truncation by Death in Observational Study
Author(s): Linbo Wang*+ and Xiao-Hua Andrew Zhou
Companies: University of Washington and University of Washington
Keywords: Causal Inference ; Observational Study ; Truncation by Death ; Propensity Score
Abstract:

It is common that in observational studies, some subjects die before the primary outcomes are measured. However, the primary outcomes (such as depression) may only be defined for alive people. In this case, the restricted analysis in people who survive does not lead to a meaningful causal estimate. We instead consider estimating the Survivor Average Causal Effect (SACE), i.e., the average causal effect in a subpopulation that would survive regardless of treatment received. However, SACE is not identifiable from observational studies for two reasons: members of the subpopulation are not observed directly, and confounding can present without randomization. In this paper, we show identifiability of SACE under additional assumptions, including existence of a baseline covariate that is similar to an instrumental variable, and a modified strongly ignorable treatment assignment assumption. We then propose a consistent non-parametric estimator for SACE based on propensity score stratification, as well as a consistent variance estimator. Finally, we apply our method to estimate effect of statins use on cognitive decline among subjects with normal cognition in an observational study.


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