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Fundamentals of epidemiology - an evolving text - Are you looking ...

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Confidence intervals address the question, "what possible values for a population parameter (e.g.,<br />

incidence density ratio) are consistent with the observed results?" Stated <strong>an</strong>other way, "what is the<br />

r<strong>an</strong>ge <strong>of</strong> true values which, when distorted by haphazard influences, could well have produced the<br />

observed results?" Confidence intervals provide a statement about the precision <strong>of</strong> <strong>an</strong> estimate or<br />

estimates based on the amount <strong>of</strong> data available for the estimate. If a "signific<strong>an</strong>t" association was<br />

not observed, then the confidence interval c<strong>an</strong> give some idea <strong>of</strong> how large <strong>an</strong> association might<br />

nevertheless exist but, due to the luck <strong>of</strong> the draw, not be observed.<br />

The nature <strong>of</strong> a confidence interval <strong>an</strong>d what it does <strong>an</strong>d does not provide, however, is a little tricky<br />

(judging from a discussion <strong>of</strong> confidence intervals on the STAT-L internet listserv that continued<br />

for weeks <strong>an</strong>d drew a host <strong>of</strong> responses <strong>an</strong>d counter-responses). The frequentist view is that a "95%<br />

confidence interval" is <strong>an</strong> interval obtained from a procedure that 95% <strong>of</strong> the time yields <strong>an</strong> interval<br />

containing the true parameter. Ideally, a 95% confidence interval would be one that "contains the<br />

parameter with 95% probability". But frequentists argue that the interval is set by the data, <strong>an</strong>d the<br />

population parameter already exists in nature. The parameter is either in the interval <strong>of</strong> it is not.<br />

There is no probability about it. All that c<strong>an</strong> be said is that 95% <strong>of</strong> the time the procedure will yield<br />

<strong>an</strong> interval that embraces the value <strong>of</strong> the parameter (<strong>an</strong>d therefore 5% <strong>of</strong> the time the procedure<br />

will yield <strong>an</strong> interval that does not). In this view, a 95% confidence interval is like a student who<br />

typically scores 95% – the probability that he/she will give the correct <strong>an</strong>swer to a question is 95%,<br />

but the <strong>an</strong>swer he/she gave to <strong>an</strong>y particular question was either correct or incorrect.<br />

_____________________________________________________________________________________________<br />

www.sph.unc.edu/courses/EPID 168, © Victor J. Schoenbach 14. Data <strong>an</strong>alysis <strong>an</strong>d interpretation – 478<br />

rev. 11/8/1998, 10/26/1999, 12/26/1999

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