Clinical Research Oriented Workshop (CROW) Meeting: Nov 4, 2016

Present:   Marianne Burke, Nancy Gell, Juvena Hitt, Kairn Kelley, Mike Lamantia, Ben Littenberg, Gail Rose, Adam Sprouse-Blum, Connie van Eeghen

Start Up: What are we doing to avoid watching pre-election news?  Watch Canadian news, try to stand back and analyze how people use information, watch Vox, watch science news, hide from all of it…

1.                   Marianne Burke’s update on her study: generating follow up visits for the same problem outcome variable (within 90 days)

a.       The other variable/primary outcome: days to resolution of the skin problem (this powered the study)

b.       This new variable (FUVRTSP outcome variable – see above) does not exist yet.  Ingredients:

                                                   i.      Have you had any other visits for the same problem (gathered during consent call) (Y/N)

1.       If yes, how many appointments have you had (numappts)    

c.       How to generate the new outcome variable

                                                   i.      Gen na = 0

                                                 ii.      Replace na = na + numappts if numappts < .

                                               iii.      Replace na = na + numappts60 if num appts60 < .

                                               iv.      Replace na = na + numappts90 if num appts90 < .

d.       Was the number of total return visits the same in the control group and the intervention group? (The research question) is answered by this new variable “na” for use in this study.

e.       What if they are different?  Assume that for “group,” active = 1 and control = 0.  We think that group may affect na.  If length of observations (lobs) interact with both group and na, lobs may be a confounder.

                                                   i.      Reg na group (a linear regression on a dichotomous variable is the same as a t-test)

                                                 ii.      Reg na group lobs

f.        Measure effective of length of observation (90 days) only

g.       Also, analyze the data on use of the intervention during and after the study

2.                   Next Workshop Meeting(s): Fridays, 2:00 p.m. – 3:15 p.m., at Given Courtyard South Level 4 until end of Dec.   

a.       Nov 11: Liliane: presentation for conference on motor learning in autism (no Marianne) (invite Deborah Hirtz MD; no Ben; no Marianne)

b.       Nov 18: (no Ben, no Juvena, no Kairn) Connie’s manuscript or other contributor?

c.       Nov 25: Canceled

d.       Dec 2: Book club – read it all!

e.       Dec 9: Marianne’s data

f.        Future topics:

a.       Juvena: protocol development

b.       Book club discussion of "Weapons of Math Destruction" by Cathy O'Neil, Introduction and Chapter 1 (pgs 1-30)

Recorder: Connie van Eeghen