Abstract
When analysing data from an epidemiological study, some features are rather specific for a particular study design. Those are dealt with among others in Chaps. I.3, I.5 to I.7 and II.4. Other features are generally relevant, see Chaps. I.2 and I.9. This chapter deals with one of these, namely the analysis of continuous covariables. After a short introduction in which relevant measures used for continuous covariables are listed, we present classical methods based on categorisation and subsequent contingency table analysis. The major part of the chapter deals with the analysis of such variables in the context of regression models commonly used in epidemiology (see also Chap. II.3). These methods are then illustrated by real data examples. The chapter ends with practical recommendations and conclusions.
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Becher, H. (2005). General Principles of Data Analysis: Continuous Covariables in Epidemiological Studies. In: Ahrens, W., Pigeot, I. (eds) Handbook of Epidemiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-26577-1_16
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