Abstract

This paper examines group testing procedures where units within a group (or pool) may be correlated. The expected number of tests per unit (i.e., efficiency) of hierarchical and matrix based procedures is derived based on a class of models of exchangeable binary random variables. The effect of the arrangement of correlated units within pools on efficiency is then examined. In general, when correlated units are arranged in the same pool, the expected number of tests per unit decreases, sometimes substantially, relative to arrangements which ignore information about correlation.

Disciplines

Disease Modeling | Statistical Models

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