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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Li, Linke, Jalal, Hawre, Heath, Anna
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
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Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2401.16660
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author Li, Linke
Jalal, Hawre
Heath, Anna
author_facet Li, Linke
Jalal, Hawre
Heath, Anna
contents The effective sample size (ESS) measures the informational value of a probability distribution in terms of an equivalent number of study participants. The ESS plays a crucial role in estimating the Expected Value of Sample Information (EVSI) through the Gaussian approximation approach. Despite the significance of ESS, existing ESS estimation methods within the Gaussian approximation framework are either computationally expensive or potentially inaccurate. To address these limitations, we propose a novel approach that estimates the ESS using the summary statistics of generated datasets and nonparametric regression methods. The simulation results suggest that the proposed method provides accurate ESS estimates at a low computational cost, making it an efficient and practical way to quantify the information contained in the probability distribution of a parameter. Overall, determining the ESS can help analysts understand the uncertainty levels in complex prior distributions in the probability analyses of decision models and perform efficient EVSI calculations.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2401_16660
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle A Nonparametric Approach for Estimating the Effective Sample Size in Gaussian Approximation of Expected Value of Sample Information
Li, Linke
Jalal, Hawre
Heath, Anna
Methodology
The effective sample size (ESS) measures the informational value of a probability distribution in terms of an equivalent number of study participants. The ESS plays a crucial role in estimating the Expected Value of Sample Information (EVSI) through the Gaussian approximation approach. Despite the significance of ESS, existing ESS estimation methods within the Gaussian approximation framework are either computationally expensive or potentially inaccurate. To address these limitations, we propose a novel approach that estimates the ESS using the summary statistics of generated datasets and nonparametric regression methods. The simulation results suggest that the proposed method provides accurate ESS estimates at a low computational cost, making it an efficient and practical way to quantify the information contained in the probability distribution of a parameter. Overall, determining the ESS can help analysts understand the uncertainty levels in complex prior distributions in the probability analyses of decision models and perform efficient EVSI calculations.
title A Nonparametric Approach for Estimating the Effective Sample Size in Gaussian Approximation of Expected Value of Sample Information
topic Methodology
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2401.16660