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Statistical procedures for analyzing mental health services data.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Elhai, JD; Calhoun, PS; Ford, JD
Published in: Psychiatry Res
August 15, 2008

In mental health services research, analyzing service utilization data often poses serious problems, given the presence of substantially skewed data distributions. This article presents a non-technical introduction to statistical methods specifically designed to handle the complexly distributed datasets that represent mental health service use, including Poisson, negative binomial, zero-inflated, and zero-truncated regression models. A flowchart is provided to assist the investigator in selecting the most appropriate method. Finally, a dataset of mental health service use reported by medical patients is described, and a comparison of results across several different statistical methods is presented. Implications of matching data analytic techniques appropriately with the often complexly distributed datasets of mental health services utilization variables are discussed.

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Published In

Psychiatry Res

DOI

ISSN

0165-1781

Publication Date

August 15, 2008

Volume

160

Issue

2

Start / End Page

129 / 136

Location

Ireland

Related Subject Headings

  • Utilization Review
  • Regression Analysis
  • Psychiatry
  • Poisson Distribution
  • Models, Statistical
  • Mental Health Services
  • Mental Disorders
  • Humans
  • Health Services Research
  • Health Services Needs and Demand
 

Citation

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Elhai, J. D., Calhoun, P. S., & Ford, J. D. (2008). Statistical procedures for analyzing mental health services data. Psychiatry Res, 160(2), 129–136. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2007.07.003
Elhai, Jon D., Patrick S. Calhoun, and Julian D. Ford. “Statistical procedures for analyzing mental health services data.Psychiatry Res 160, no. 2 (August 15, 2008): 129–36. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2007.07.003.
Elhai JD, Calhoun PS, Ford JD. Statistical procedures for analyzing mental health services data. Psychiatry Res. 2008 Aug 15;160(2):129–36.
Elhai, Jon D., et al. “Statistical procedures for analyzing mental health services data.Psychiatry Res, vol. 160, no. 2, Aug. 2008, pp. 129–36. Pubmed, doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2007.07.003.
Elhai JD, Calhoun PS, Ford JD. Statistical procedures for analyzing mental health services data. Psychiatry Res. 2008 Aug 15;160(2):129–136.
Journal cover image

Published In

Psychiatry Res

DOI

ISSN

0165-1781

Publication Date

August 15, 2008

Volume

160

Issue

2

Start / End Page

129 / 136

Location

Ireland

Related Subject Headings

  • Utilization Review
  • Regression Analysis
  • Psychiatry
  • Poisson Distribution
  • Models, Statistical
  • Mental Health Services
  • Mental Disorders
  • Humans
  • Health Services Research
  • Health Services Needs and Demand