The purpose of this SBIR grant is to make simulated MEDICARE databases of cancer research information filled with dummy records embedded in the NCHS SETS software. The data values in the dummy records must be distributed by age, race, location, etc. similarly to the distribution of values in the real records so that computations using them will be useful. Such dummy databases could offer significant advantages in cost, ease of use and confidentiality restrictions over using real data, for preliminary/introductory use of MEDICARE datasets -- though of course they could not replace using real data for research studies. In Phase I, dummy datasets were constructed for prostate cancer and female breast cancer from the MEDICARE 1994 Inpatient Standard Analytical File using a Stratified Averaging and Sampling (SAVES) technique. HCFA approved the prostate dummy data- simulation for general release with no confidentiality restrictions. Phase-II will enhance the dummy simulation system to include additional cancers, better representation of racial distributions, enrollment/ population """"""""denominator"""""""" data, the SEER-MEDICARE link system (Potosky 93) and other aspects. Perhaps a standardized dummying protocol could be developed, leading to similar simulations for many distribution- sensitive medical datasets.
The
are Educational Materials for students and researchers. Project products (CD-ROM and Web) will enable users to become familiar with MEDICARE & SEER data without high costs or privacy liabilities, and to design studies by estimating key properties of data. Tutorials will illustrate methods of cancer research using medicare data.
