(Based on Angrist and Pischke, “Mostly Harmless Econometrics”. Princeton U. Pres
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Question
(Based on Angrist and Pischke, “Mostly Harmless Econometrics”. Princeton U. Press, 2009, Chapter 2)
A substantial proportion of elderly population uses hospital emergency rooms, while they could be properly attended through primary care service. Some of these patients are admitted to the hospital. This care type is expensive and crowds hospital facilities. Besides, exposure to other sick patients by those who are themselves vulnerable might affect their health negatively.
The US National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) from 2005 provides information, for the last 12 months, about the patient health status as well as if the respondent has been patient in a hospital overnight.
(a) Suppose that a statistician finds significant negative differences in health status between people who were hospitalized and people who were not. Should we conclude that hospital treatment makes people sicker?
(b) Is there a comparison between any two groups appropriate to evaluate the causal effect on health of receiving hospital treatment?
(c) If you could implement an ideal experiment to evaluate such causal effect, how it should be?
Explanation / Answer
Answer:
(a) Suppose that a statistician finds significant negative differences in health status between people who were hospitalized and people who were not. Should we conclude that hospital treatment makes people sicker?
(b) Is there a comparison between any two groups appropriate to evaluate the causal effect on health of receiving hospital treatment?
(c) If you could implement an ideal experiment to evaluate such causal effect, how it should be?
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