Definition and evaluation of the monotonicity condition for preference-based instruments

Epidemiology
Sonja A SwansonMiguel A Hernán

Abstract

Preference-based instrumental variable methods are often used in comparative effectiveness research. Many instrumental variable studies estimate the local average treatment effect (ie, the effect in the "compliers") under the assumption of monotonicity, ie, no "defiers," and well-defined compliance types. However, the monotonicity assumption has not been empirically tested and the meaning of monotonicity itself is unclear. Here, we clarify the definition of local and global monotonicity and propose a novel study design to assess the monotonicity assumption empirically. Our design requires surveying physicians about their treatment plans and prescribing preferences for the same set of patients. We also discuss measures of monotonicity that can be calculated from this survey data. As an illustration, we conducted a pilot study in a survey of 53 physicians who reported treatment plans and prescribing preferences for hypothetical patients who were candidates for antipsychotic treatment. In our study, nearly all patients exhibited some degree of monotonicity violations. In addition, patients could not be cleanly classified as compliers, defiers, always-takers, or never-takers. We conclude that preference-based instrumental variable ...Continue Reading

References

Dec 2, 2005·The New England Journal of Medicine·Philip S WangM Alan Brookhart

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Citations

Feb 2, 2018·Emerging Themes in Epidemiology·Mette Lise Lousdal
Sep 24, 2020·Statistics in Medicine·Els GoetghebeurUNKNOWN “on behalf of” the topic group Causal Inference (TG7) of the STRATOS initiative
Aug 26, 2020·Epidemiology·Venexia M WalkerPatrick G Kehoe
Apr 6, 2017·International Journal of Epidemiology·Sonja A Swanson, Miguel A Hernán
May 21, 2019·American Journal of Epidemiology·Ellen C CanigliaRoger L Shapiro
May 4, 2018·European Journal of Epidemiology·Sonja A SwansonMiguel A Hernán
Nov 20, 2018·Psychotherapy Research : Journal of the Society for Psychotherapy Research·Paul Crits-ChristophMary Beth Connolly Gibbons
Jun 15, 2021·Journal of Clinical Epidemiology·Tarjei Widding-HavneraasArnstein Mykletun
Jun 17, 2021·American Journal of Epidemiology·Elizabeth W Diemer, Sonja A Swanson

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