Citation

Gagnon DR, Doron-Lamarca S, Bell M, O'Farrell TJ, Taft CT. J. Trauma. Stress 2008; 21(5): 448-454.

Affiliation

Boston University School of Public Health, and Massachusetts Veterans Epidemiology Research, and Information Center, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA 02130, USA. gagnon@bu.edu

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1002/jts.20359

PMID

18956443

Abstract

The authors describe how the Poisson regression method for analyzing count or frequency outcome variables can be applied in trauma studies. The outcome of interest in trauma research may represent a count of the number of incidents of behavior occurring in a given time interval, such as acts of physical aggression or substance abuse. Traditional linear regression approaches assume a normally distributed outcome variable with equal variances over the range of predictor variables, and may not be optimal for modeling count outcomes. An application of Poisson regression is presented using data from a study of intimate partner aggression among male patients in an alcohol treatment program and their female partners. Results of Poisson regression and linear regression models are compared.

Language: en