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ACADEMIA AND CLINIC

Multivariable Analysis: A Primer for Readers of Medical Research

Mitchell H. Katz, MD

15 April 2003 | Volume 138 Issue 8 | Pages 644-650

Many clinical readers, especially those uncomfortable with mathematics, treat published multivariable models as a black box, accepting the author's explanation of the results. However, multivariable analysis can be understood without undue concern for the underlying mathematics. This paper reviews the basics of multivariable analysis, including what multivariable models are, why they are used, what types exist, what assumptions underlie them, how they should be interpreted, and how they can be evaluated. A deeper understanding of multivariable models enables readers to decide for themselves how much weight to give to the results of published analyses.

Author and Article Information

From San Francisco Department of Public Health, San Francisco, California.

Potential Financial Conflicts of Interest: None disclosed.

Requests for Single Reprints: Mitchell H. Katz, MD, 101 Grove Street, Room 308, San Francisco, CA 94102; e-mail, Mitch.Katz{at}sfdph.org.

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