Abstract
Quasi-least squares (QLS) is an alternative method for estimating the correlation parameters within the framework of generalized estimating equations (GEE) that has two main advantages over the moment estimates that are typically applied for GEE: (1) It guarantees a consistent estimate of the correlation parameter and a positive definite estimated correlation matrix, for several correlation structures; and (2) It allows for easier implementation of some correlation structures that have not yet been implemented in the framework of GEE. Furthermore, because QLS is a method in the framework of GEE, existing software can be employed within the QLS algorithm for estimation of the correlation and regression parameters. In this manuscript we describe and demonstrate the user written package qlspack that allows for implementation of QLS in R software. Our package qlspack calls up the geepack package Yan (2002) and Halekoh et al. (2006) to update the estimate of the regression parameter at the current QLS estimate of the correlation parameter; hence, geepack related functions for standard error estimation can be used after implementing qlspack.
Disciplines
Biostatistics
Suggested Citation
Xie, Jichun and Shults, Justine, ""Implementation of quasi-least squares With the R package qlspack"" (June 2009). UPenn Biostatistics Working Papers. Working Paper 32.
https://biostats.bepress.com/upennbiostat/art32