Counterfactual fairness for small subgroups

Fuente: arXiv
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Autores principales: Wastvedt, Solvejg, Huling, Jared D, Wolfson, Julian
Formato: Preprint
Publicado: 2023
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author Wastvedt, Solvejg
Huling, Jared D
Wolfson, Julian
author_facet Wastvedt, Solvejg
Huling, Jared D
Wolfson, Julian
contents While methods for measuring and correcting differential performance in risk prediction models have proliferated in recent years, most existing techniques can only be used to assess fairness across relatively large subgroups. The purpose of algorithmic fairness efforts is often to redress discrimination against groups that are both marginalized and small, so this sample size limitation often prevents existing techniques from accomplishing their main aim. We take a three-pronged approach to address the problem of quantifying fairness with small subgroups. First, we propose new estimands built on the "counterfactual fairness" framework that leverage information across groups. Second, we estimate these quantities using a larger volume of data than existing techniques. Finally, we propose a novel data borrowing approach to incorporate "external data" that lacks outcomes and predictions but contains covariate and group membership information. This less stringent requirement on the external data allows for more possibilities for external data sources. We demonstrate practical application of our estimators to a risk prediction model used by a major Midwestern health system during the COVID-19 pandemic.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2310_19988
institution arXiv
publishDate 2023
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Counterfactual fairness for small subgroups
Wastvedt, Solvejg
Huling, Jared D
Wolfson, Julian
Methodology
While methods for measuring and correcting differential performance in risk prediction models have proliferated in recent years, most existing techniques can only be used to assess fairness across relatively large subgroups. The purpose of algorithmic fairness efforts is often to redress discrimination against groups that are both marginalized and small, so this sample size limitation often prevents existing techniques from accomplishing their main aim. We take a three-pronged approach to address the problem of quantifying fairness with small subgroups. First, we propose new estimands built on the "counterfactual fairness" framework that leverage information across groups. Second, we estimate these quantities using a larger volume of data than existing techniques. Finally, we propose a novel data borrowing approach to incorporate "external data" that lacks outcomes and predictions but contains covariate and group membership information. This less stringent requirement on the external data allows for more possibilities for external data sources. We demonstrate practical application of our estimators to a risk prediction model used by a major Midwestern health system during the COVID-19 pandemic.
title Counterfactual fairness for small subgroups
topic Methodology
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2310.19988