syllabus-v3 HPMN P8502 Research techniques and applications Logistics Tuesdays 1: 00 pm 3: 50 pm, Hammer LL204 Instructor Bhaven N.

. Sampat, Associate Professor, HPM Phone: 212-305-7293; bns3@columbia.edu 600 West 168th Street, Room 404; Ofce Hours: Monday 11-1 (or by appointment) Teaching assistants Benjamin DeCoudres Caroline Huber bd236@columbia.edu crh2136@columbia.edu

Teaching Assistant Ofce Hours: Thursday, 11-1 Course description This course trains students to become effective consumers of health policy research, through an introduction to the basics of research design, measurement, descriptive and causal analysis, multiple regression and advanced econometric models, and program evaluation techniques. Since being an effective consumer of research requires hands on experience in analysis, the course also introduces statistical programming using a commonly used software package, Stata. Texts, readings, and resources The main textbook for this course is Remler and Van Ryzin (R&VR) Research Methods in Practice (Third Editon). You may instead decide to rent the electronic version: http:// www.coursesmart.com/9781412964678. Whether you buy the paper version or rent the electronic, you may nd the books website (with practice quizzes, etc) useful: http://www.sagepub.com/ remler/study/intro.htm You should also purchase Juul and Frydenbergs (J&F) An Introduction to Stata for Health Researchers. Stata is available in all campus labs. If you would like to purchase Stata, I would recommend Stata/IC 13, which is available to students through Stata Corporations GradPlan.

You should also purchase Juul and Frydenbergs (J&F) An Introduction to Stata for Health Researchers. Stata is available in all campus labs. If you would like to purchase Stata, I would recommend Stata/IC 13, which is available to students through Stata Corporations GradPlan. We will also draw on chapters from Stock and Watsons Introduction to Econometrics, Brief Edition, Angrist and Pinskes Mostly Harmless Econometrics and Fews Show Me the Numbers: Designing Tables and Graphs to Enlighten and Schutt and ONeils Doing Data Science. These chapters, and additional readings and other resources (e.g. datasets) will be posted on the Course Wikipedia page: https://hpmnp8502-001-2014-1.wikispaces.columbia.edu/ Teaching methods The course will consist of interactive lectures, lab instruction, and lab exercises. Assessment and grading There will be 5 problem sets accounting for 70 percent of your grade. These will be posted on Wikispaces on the Thursday following lecture in week 3, week 5, week 7, week 9, week 11, and due by 8 pm the following Thursday. I will not accept late problem sets. But I will drop the lowest grade. Problem sets will be graded by the TAs using a rubric provided by the instructor. You may talk to others about these problem sets but should submit your own work. There will be a nal, cumulative, problem set (handed out 4/22, and due on 5/1) that will account for the remaining 30 percent of your grade. You must work on this alone and may not discuss with anyone except the instructor or TAs. Problem sets must be emailed as PDF les to p8502.assignments@gmail.com. You will receive an email receipt of each submission. (Please do not send any communication other than problem sets to this email address.) Grading A+ Reserved for highly exceptional achievement. A Excellent. Outstanding achievement. AExcellent work, close to outstanding. B+ Very good. Solid achievement expected of most graduate students. B Good. Acceptable achievement. BAcceptable achievement, but below what is generally expected of graduate students. C+ Fair achievement, above minimally acceptable level. C Fair achievement, but only minimally acceptable. CVery low performance. F Failure. Course usually may not be repeated unless it is a required course.

CF

Very low performance. Failure. Course usually may not be repeated unless it is a required course.

Mailman School policies and expectations Students and faculty have a shared commitment to the Schools mission, values and oath. http://mailman.columbia.edu/about-us/school-mission/ Academic Integrity Students are required to adhere to the Mailman School Honor Code, available online at http://mailman.columbia.edu/honorcode. Disability Access In order to receive disability-related academic accommodations, students must rst be registered with the Ofce of Disability Services (ODS). Students who have, or think they may have a disability are invited to contact ODS for a condential discussion at 212.854.2388 (V) 212.854.2378 (TTY), or by email at disability@columbia.edu. If you have already registered with ODS, please speak to your instructor to ensure that s/he has been notied of your recommended accommodations by Lillian Morales (lm31@columbia.edu), the Schools liaison to the Ofce of Disability Services. Course schedule Session 1 (Jan 21): Course introduction, types of research, theory and models Learning objectives: Appreciate the promise and limitations of research; Distinguish between causal and descriptive questions; Explain the building blocks of a theory (variables, relationships, and causal mechanisms); Identify independent and dependent variables; Identify the unit of analysis; Create a logic model to describe a program or intervention. R&VR (Textbook) Reading: Chapters 1-2 Session 2 (Jan 28): Measurement Learning objectives: Recognize how a given measure is conceptualized and operationalized, including the use of instruments, proxies, and scales. Judge the validity of a measure, especially in the context of its purpose or application. Understand the issue of measurement error, and be able to judge the reliability of a measure (along with the implications of unreliability for data analysis). Identify the level of measurement of a variable, particularly the distinction between quantitative and categorical variables. Recognize the trade-offs involved in measurement, including cost and ethical limitations. Become familiar with Stata windows, Stata le types, and Stata syntax. R&VR (Textbook) Reading: Chapter 4

including cost and ethical limitations. Become familiar with Stata windows, Stata le types, and Stata syntax. R&VR (Textbook) Reading: Chapter 4 J&F (Stata) Reading: Chapters 1-5 Session 3 (Feb 4): Sampling and surveys Learning objectives: Distinguish random (probability) sampling from nonprobability sampling, and recognize the advantages offered by each. Assess the potential bias that can be caused by coverage limitations, nonresponse, and other factors that may affect the propensity for people (or other elements) to be included in a study; Judge the generalizability of a studys ndings, based on the sampling procedures employed and other considerations. Understand the basic logic of statistical inference based on random sampling and be able to interpret a condence interval (margin of error). Learn how to get data in and out of Stata, construct variable and value labels and perform basic Stata calculations. R&VR (Textbook) Reading: Chapter 5 J&F (Stata) Reading: Chapters 6-8 Other Required Reading: Cohen et al. (1996/7) The Medical Expenditure Panel Survey: A National Health Information Resource Problem Set 1 Distributed on Feb 6, due Feb 13 Session 4 (Feb 11): Data sources; tables and graphs Learning objectives: Identify quantitative data, including its form or structure. Distinguish between different types and sources of data. Explain the situations when it is appropriate to use tables and graphs to present data, the differences between main types of tables and graphs, and basic principles of table and graph design. Create simple tables and graphs in Stata, and reshape data from long to wide format and vice-versa. R&VR (Textbook) Reading: Chapters 6-7 J&F (Stata) Reading: Chapter 11 and Chapter 17 Other Reading: Few, Chapters 2-3 Session 5 (Feb 18): Probability and statistics review Learning objectives: Identify the units of numbers or measurements that appear in research reports or statistical tables. Explain the meaning of and differences between various measures of central tendency and variability; Understand and interpret cross-tabs; Explain and interpret condence intervals, statistical signicance testing,

Learning objectives: Identify the units of numbers or measurements that appear in research reports or statistical tables. Explain the meaning of and differences between various measures of central tendency and variability; Understand and interpret cross-tabs; Explain and interpret condence intervals, statistical signicance testing, p values. Distinguish between practical and statistical signicance. Calculate and present basic descriptive statistics and perform simple signicance tests in Stata. R&VR (Textbook) Reading: Chapter 8 J&F (Stata) Reading: Chapter 11 (continued) Optional (Advanced) Reading: Stock and Watson, Chapters 1-3 Problem Set 2 Distributed on Feb 20, due Feb 27 Session 6 (Feb 25): Introduction to regression Learning objectives: Explain the rationale for and intuition underlying OLS regression analysis; Interpret results from simple bivariate regressions R&VR (Textbook) Reading: Chapter 8 (continued) J&F (Stata) Reading: Chapter 13 Other Reading: Sampat et al. (2013) New evidence on the allocation of NIH funds across disease areas Optional (Advanced) Reading: Stock and Watson, Chapters 4-5 Session 7 (Mar 4): Multiple regression Learning objectives: Understand and interpret multiple regression coefcients, intercepts and R-squares. Interpret regression coefcients in a manner meaningful for policy or practice, with emphasis on prediction. Understand why multicollinearity limits what regression models can be estimated. Interpret condence intervals and hypothesis tests in regression. Implement and interpreting multiple regression in Stata. R&VR (Textbook) Reading: Chapter 9 Optional (Advanced) Reading: Stock and Watson, Chapters 6 Problem Set 3 Distributed on Mar 6, due Mar 13 Session 8 (Mar 11): Advanced topics in multiple regression Learning objectives: Interpret coefcients on dummy variables; Interpret coefcients of interaction variables; Interpret results from non-linear regressions R&VR (Textbook) Reading: Chapter 9 (continued)

Learning objectives: Interpret coefcients on dummy variables; Interpret coefcients of interaction variables; Interpret results from non-linear regressions R&VR (Textbook) Reading: Chapter 9 (continued) Optional (Advanced) Reading: Stock and Watson, Chapters 8 Session 9 (Mar 25): Causality, regression, controls Learning objectives: Understand and sign omitted variable bias. Identify the counterfactual question associated with an causal claim. Understand how experiments can be used to measure causal effects; Interpret and critically assess regression coefcients as estimates of causal effects in a manner useful for policy or practice R&VR (Textbook) Reading: Chapter 10-11 Other Reading: Lichtenberg, Effects of New Drugs on Overall Health Spending: Evidence from the 1996 MEPS Optional (Advanced) Reading: MHE, Chapters 1-3 Problem Set 4 Distributed on Mar 27, due Apr 3 Session 10 (Apr 1): Difference in difference and policy evaluation; RCT and quasiexperiments Learning objectives: Recognize randomized experiments, as distinguished from observational studies (and natural or quasi experiments); Distinguish random assignment from random sampling, and understand how random assignment produces statistical equivalence; Explain why randomized experiments are considered the gold standard for estimating causal effects ; Understand the limitations on generalizability in many randomized experiments, and tradeoffs between internal and external validity; Identify natural and quasi experiments, as distinct from observational studies or randomized experiments; Explain how natural and quasi experiments can be used to estimate a causal effect; Identify exogenous events that can be used as natural experiments; Suggest ways to design programs to create a quasi-experiment; For a given natural or quasi-experiment: Describe the strengths and weaknesses of the evidence of causation, Determine the group to which the study generalizes; Understand the logic of a difference-in-differences strategy and recognize practical situations in which it can be applied. R&VR (Textbook) Reading: Chapters 12-13 Optional (Advanced) Reading: MHE, Chapter 5 Session 11 (Apr 8): Regression with dichotomous dependent variables Learning objectives: Interpret coefcients from linear probability models; Discuss the differences between the linear probability model and logit and probit models.

Session 11 (Apr 8): Regression with dichotomous dependent variables Learning objectives: Interpret coefcients from linear probability models; Discuss the differences between the linear probability model and logit and probit models. Other Reading: Stock and Watson (Full Edition) Chapter 9; Hemphill and Sampat (2013) Evergreening, Patent Challenges, and Effective Patent Term in Pharmaceuticals; Kapcynski, Park, and Sampat (2013) Polymorphs and Prodrugs and Salts (Oh My!) Problem Set 5 Distributed on Apr 10, Due April 17 Session 12 (Apr 15): Regression and prediction Learning objectives: Explain, conceptually, how regression models can be used to predict and categorize. Using Stata, program regression models that predict and categorize. Other Reading: Schutt and ONeil , Chapters 4-5; Friedman (2006) Hospital Inpatient Costs for Adults with Multiple Chronic Conditions; Finkelstein (2003) National medical spending attributable to overweight and obesity: how much, and who's paying? Problem Sets: None. Session 13 (Apr 22): Regression and risk adjustment Learning objectives: Explain how regression models are used for risk adjustment in health services research, and the challenges in using them for this purpose. Shahian et al. (2001) Cardiac surgery report cards: comprehensive review and statistical critique Problem Sets: Final (super sized) problem set distributed April 22, Due May 1 Session 14 (Apr 29): On presenting data; how to evaluate studies; how to design a study Learning objectives: Explain how to evaluate published research studies, how to nd answerable and useful research questions, and how to prepare and evaluate evidence-based presentations. R&VR (Textbook) Reading: Chapters 14-15