What is Propensity Score Matching and what are the benefits?

In observational studies, it is common with confounders, ie uncontrolled or unknown variables, which affect both the outcome and other explanatory variables in the analysis. When comparing, for example, two groups (for instance in two different treatments), it is extremely important that the groups are comparable at the beginning of the analysis.

Otherwise, there is a risk that these confounders generate a static relationship between variables without there being direct causal relationships.
One way to balance the groups is by using Propensity score matching.

Who benefits from using Propensity Score Matching?

Anyone who works with data that comes from observational studies.

When do you use Propensity Score Matching?

For unbalanced observational data where you want to compare two or more groups based on specific outcomes.

You can learn more about this at our course called R 5 – Basic course in Propensity score matching.
The next course is online May 12 on Zoom.

R 5 – Basic course in Propensity score matching

Content
Introduction
Identify imbalances in your data set
Matching techniques
Evaluation of the matching quality
Estimate the treatment effects
How to describe methods and results