PURPOSE: This paper reviews the use of the Path Analysis (PA) methodology in health determinants modeling, with special reference to infant mortality modeling. METHODS: A review of the literature on PA applications in the modeling of infant mortality and similar problems is presented, together with a discussion of the conceptual basis of PA and its relation to other multivariate statistical techniques. Important aspects of the technique are discussed: 1) criteria for path formulation; 2) parameter estimation methods; 3) direct, indirect, spurious, and joint effects; and 4) goodness-of-fit and modification indices. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The review of the literature suggests that PA represents a methodological improvement regarding multivariate techniques used in modeling some health-related issues. PA allows investigation of more complex models, providing information that could have been previously overlooked, such as how the interrelations among independent variables in a model affect the dependent ones.
PURPOSE: This paper reviews the use of the Path Analysis (PA) methodology in health determinants modeling, with special reference to infant mortality modeling. METHODS: A review of the literature on PA applications in the modeling of infant mortality and similar problems is presented, together with a discussion of the conceptual basis of PA and its relation to other multivariate statistical techniques. Important aspects of the technique are discussed: 1) criteria for path formulation; 2) parameter estimation methods; 3) direct, indirect, spurious, and joint effects; and 4) goodness-of-fit and modification indices. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The review of the literature suggests that PA represents a methodological improvement regarding multivariate techniques used in modeling some health-related issues. PA allows investigation of more complex models, providing information that could have been previously overlooked, such as how the interrelations among independent variables in a model affect the dependent ones.
Entities:
Keywords:
Data Analysis; Demographic Factors; Health--determinants; Infant Mortality--determinants; Literature Review; Models, Theoretical; Mortality; Multivariate Analysis; Population; Population Dynamics; Research Methodology; Statistical Studies; Studies; World
Authors: Manisha Nair; Proochista Ariana; Eric O Ohuma; Ron Gray; Bianca De Stavola; Premila Webster Journal: PLoS One Date: 2013-09-25 Impact factor: 3.240