Assumption-Lean Quantile Regression

Fuente: arXiv
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Autori principali: Baklicharov, Georgi, Ley, Christophe, Gorasso, Vanessa, Devleesschauwer, Brecht, Vansteelandt, Stijn
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2024
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author Baklicharov, Georgi
Ley, Christophe
Gorasso, Vanessa
Devleesschauwer, Brecht
Vansteelandt, Stijn
author_facet Baklicharov, Georgi
Ley, Christophe
Gorasso, Vanessa
Devleesschauwer, Brecht
Vansteelandt, Stijn
contents Quantile regression is a powerful tool for detecting exposure-outcome associations given covariates across different parts of the outcome's distribution, but has two major limitations when the aim is to infer the effect of an exposure. Firstly, the exposure coefficient estimator may not converge to a meaningful quantity when the model is misspecified, and secondly, variable selection methods may induce bias and excess uncertainty, rendering inferences biased and overly optimistic. In this paper, we address these issues via partially linear quantile regression models which parametrize the conditional association of interest, but do not restrict the association with other covariates in the model. We propose consistent estimators for the unknown model parameter by mapping it onto a nonparametric main effect estimand that captures the (conditional) association of interest even when the quantile model is misspecified. This estimand is estimated using the efficient influence function under the nonparametric model, allowing for the incorporation of data-adaptive procedures such as variable selection and machine learning. Our approach provides a flexible and reliable method for detecting associations that is robust to model misspecification and excess uncertainty induced by variable selection methods. The proposal is illustrated using simulation studies and data on annual health care costs associated with excess body weight.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2404_10495
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Assumption-Lean Quantile Regression
Baklicharov, Georgi
Ley, Christophe
Gorasso, Vanessa
Devleesschauwer, Brecht
Vansteelandt, Stijn
Methodology
Quantile regression is a powerful tool for detecting exposure-outcome associations given covariates across different parts of the outcome's distribution, but has two major limitations when the aim is to infer the effect of an exposure. Firstly, the exposure coefficient estimator may not converge to a meaningful quantity when the model is misspecified, and secondly, variable selection methods may induce bias and excess uncertainty, rendering inferences biased and overly optimistic. In this paper, we address these issues via partially linear quantile regression models which parametrize the conditional association of interest, but do not restrict the association with other covariates in the model. We propose consistent estimators for the unknown model parameter by mapping it onto a nonparametric main effect estimand that captures the (conditional) association of interest even when the quantile model is misspecified. This estimand is estimated using the efficient influence function under the nonparametric model, allowing for the incorporation of data-adaptive procedures such as variable selection and machine learning. Our approach provides a flexible and reliable method for detecting associations that is robust to model misspecification and excess uncertainty induced by variable selection methods. The proposal is illustrated using simulation studies and data on annual health care costs associated with excess body weight.
title Assumption-Lean Quantile Regression
topic Methodology
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2404.10495