A note on Bahadur's expansion in Bayesian diagnostic algorithms

Scheinok's (1972) empirical results, obtained from using Bahadur's expansion in Bayes's theorem, are explained by noting that the expansion is an exact representation of observed probabilities and thus no information was gained by its use. The calculated and observed joint probability distributions will always be equal. It is also demonstrated that posterior probabilities equal to the ratio of observed patients with a given profile in a disease category to the total number of patients with the symptom profile are always obtained when actuarial probability estimates are used in Bayes's theorem.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/33902/1/0000167.pd

Diagnosis. II. Diagnostic models based on attribute clusters: A proposal and comparisons

A new discrimination procedure based on the formation of clusters of dependent attributes, and estimation of the joint probability distribution as the product of the probabilities of the disjoint clusters is proposed and investigated. The major advantages of this method are a substantial reduction of the number of probability estimates that must be made, the ability to include symptom dependencies, and the ease and flexibility of its implementation.Comparisons with other discrimination procedures are obtained using Monte Carlo techniques. Results indicate that the proposed model is robust and may lead to gains over the independence and actuarial models, especially for small sample sizes.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/22084/1/0000508.pd

A cross sectional survey of urban Canadian family physicians' provision of minor office procedures

BACKGROUND: A discordance exists between the proportion of Canadian family physicians that we expect should be able to perform minor office procedures and the actual provision of care. This pattern has not been extensively studied. The objective of this study was to determine the current patterns and obstacles relating to the provision of four minor office procedures by GP/FPs in a small city in Ontario, Canada. An additional goal was to determine the impact of the remuneration method on the provision of such services. METHODS: A survey was mailed to all GP/FPs practising in Kingston, Ontario. The main outcomes measured in the study were work setting and remuneration method, current procedural practices with respect to four procedures, reasons for not performing procedures, current skill levels, and desire to upgrade. RESULTS: Surveys were mailed to all 108 GP/FPs in the City of Kingston. Completed surveys were collected for 82 percent (89/108) and 10 were excluded leaving 79 eligible participants. The percentages of GP/FPs who reported performing the procedure were as follows: dermatological excision (63.3%), endometrial biopsy (35.4%), shoulder injection (31.6%), and knee injection (43.0%). The majority of GP/FPs who would not do the procedure themselves would refer to a specialist colleague rather than to another GP/FP. The top reason cited for not performing a specific procedure was "lack of up to date skills" followed by "lack of time". The latter was the only statistically significant difference reported between GP/FPs working in Family Health Networks and GP/FPs working in fee for service settings (26.7% vs 47.0%, χ(2 )= 4.191 p = 0.041). CONCLUSION: A large number of Kingston, Ontario GP/FPs refer patients who require one of four minor office-based procedures for specialist consultation. Referral to other GP/FP colleagues appears underutilized. A perceived lack of up to date skills and a lack of time appear to be concerns. GP/FPs working in Family Health Networks were more likely to perform these procedures themselves. Further studies would clarify the role of changes in medical education, the role of continuing education, and the impact of different remuneration models

Exploring the constraint profile of winter sports resort tourist segments

Many studies have confirmed the importance of market segmentation both theoretically and empirically. Surprisingly though, no study has so far addressed the issue from the perspective of leisure constraints. Since different consumers face different barriers, we look at participation in leisure activities as an outcome of the negotiation process that winter sports resort tourists go through, to balance between related motives and constraints. This empirical study reports the findings on the applicability of constraining factors in segmenting the tourists who visit winter sports resorts. Utilizing data from 1,391 tourists of winter sports resorts in Greece, five segments were formed based on their constraint, demographic and behavioral profile. Our findings indicate that such segmentation sheds light on factors that could potentially limit the full utilization of the market. To maximize utilization, we suggest customizing marketing to the profile of each distinct winter sports resort tourist segment that emerge

SPSS 10.0 guide to data analysis

New Jerseyxviii, 577 p.; 23 cm

SPSS/PC+

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The SPSS guide to data analysis

iii, 402 p. : il.; 21 cm