Work

Regression analysis and variable selection for two‐stage multiple‐infection group testing data

Year: 2019

Type: article

Abstract: Group testing, as a cost-effective strategy, has been widely used to perform large-scale screening for rare infections. Recently, the use of multiplex assays has transformed the goal of group testing from detecting a single disease to diagnosing multiple infections simultaneously. Existing research on multiple-infection group testing data either exclude individual covariate information or ignore possible retests on suspicious individuals. To incorporate both, we propose a new regression model. This new model allows us to perform a regression analysis for each infection using multiple-infection group testing data. Furthermore, we introduce an efficient variable selection method to reveal truly relevant risk factors for each disease. Our methodology also allows for the estimation of the assay sensitivity and specificity when they are unknown. We examine the finite sample performance of our method through extensive simulation studies and apply it to a chlamydia and gonorrhea screening data set to illustrate its practical usefulness.

Source: Statistics in Medicine

DOI: 10.1002/sim.8311

Authors: Juexin Lin, Dewei Wang, Qi Zheng

Institutions: University of South Carolina, University of Louisville

Language: English

Topic: Statistical Methods and Inference

Subfield: Statistics and Probability

Field: Mathematics

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases