172,355 research outputs found
Symmetric and Asymmetric Rounding
No full textIf rounded data are used in estimating moments and regression coefficients, the estimates are typically more or less biased. The purpose of the paper is to study the bias inducing effect of rounding, which is also seen when population moments instead of their estimates are considered. Under appropriate conditions this effect can be approximately specified by versions of Sheppard's correction formula. We discuss the conditions under which these approximations are valid. We also investigate the efficiency loss that comes along with rounding. The rounding error, which corresponds to the measurement error of a measurement error model, has a marginal distribution which can be approximated by the uniform distribution. We generalize the concept of simple rounding to that of asymmetric rounding and study its effect on the mean and variance of a distribution under similar circumstances as with simple rounding
Attractive prices and euro-rounding effects on inflation
No full textApproximately 70% of Belgian consumer prices are to be considered as attractive prices, namely psychological prices, fractional prices - i. e. prices which are convenient to pay - and round prices. Conversion of these prices into euro generally leads to prices which are no longer attractive and it is very likely that retailers will round their prices to attractive euro prices. The public fears that rounding will be upward rather than symmetric. This paper simulates in the first instance a worst-case scenario, whereby all attractive BEF prices are systematically rounded up to the nearest attractive euro price. The effect on the consumer price index ranges from 0.54 to 0.72%. Such a scenario is however very unlikely, as factors such as competition on product markets, the currently prevailing demand conditions, the commitments made by organisations representing the enterprise sector and the vigilant attitude of consumers restrain the possibility of rounding up. In order to obtain a more realistic picture, the paper investigates in a second step whether rounding-up effects were found after the major change in VAT rates in April 1992. These effects seem marginal, although it should be acknowledged that it was difficult to isolate rounding effects from regular price changes. Any ex post assessment of the euro changeover will face a similar identification problem.
A quantitative probabilistic investigation into the accumulation of rounding errors in numerical ODE solution.
No full textWe examine numerical rounding errors of some deterministic solvers for systems of ordinary differential equations (ODEs) from a probabilistic viewpoint. We show that the accumulation of rounding errors results in a solution which is inherently random and we obtain the theoretical distribution of the trajectory as a function of time, the step size and the numerical precision of the computer. We consider, in particular, systems which amplify the effect of the rounding errors so that over long time periods the solutions exhibit divergent behaviour. By performing multiple repetitions with different values of the time step size, we observe numerically the random distributions predicted theoretically. We mainly focus on the explicit Euler and fourth order Runge–Kutta methods but also briefly consider more complex algorithms such as the implicit solvers VODE and RADAU5 in order to demonstrate that the observed effects are not specific to a particular method
Attractive prices and euro-rounding effects on inflation. NBB Working Paper Nr. 17
No full textApproximately 70% of Belgian consumer prices are to be considered as attractive prices, namely psychological prices, fractional prices - i. e. prices which are convenient to pay - and round prices. Conversion of these prices into euro generally leads to prices which are no longer attractive and it is very likely that retailers will round their prices to attractive euro prices. The public fears that rounding will be upward rather than symmetric. This paper simulates in the first instance a worst-case scenario, whereby all attractive BEF prices are systematically rounded up to the nearest attractive euro price. The effect on the consumer price index ranges from 0.54 to 0.72%. Such a scenario is however very unlikely, as factors such as competition on product markets, the currently prevailing demand conditions, the commitments made by organisations representing the enterprise sector and the vigilant attitude of consumers restrain the possibility of rounding up. In order to obtain a more realistic picture, the paper investigates in a second step whether rounding-up effects were found after the major change in VAT rates in April 1992. These effects seem marginal, although it should be acknowledged that it was difficult to isolate rounding effects from regular price changes. Any ex post assessment of the euro changeover will face a similar identification problem
Rounding in Recreation Demand Models: A Latent Class Count Model
No full textA commonly observed feature of visitation data, elicited via a survey instrument, is a greater propensity for individuals to report trip numbers that are multiples of 5's, relative to other possible integers (such as 3 or 6). One explanation of this phenomenon is that some survey respondents have difficulty recalling the exact number of trips taken and instead choose to round their responses. This paper examines the impact that rounding can have on the estimated demand for recreation and the bias that it may induce on subsequent welfare estimates. We propose the use of a latent class structure in which respondents are assumed to be members of either a nonrounding or a rounding class. A series of generated data experiments are provided to illustrate the range of possible impacts that ignoring rounding can have on the estimated parameters of the model and on the welfare implications from site closure. The results suggest that biases can be substantial, particularly when then unconditional mean number of trips is in the range from two to four. An illustrative application is provided using visitation data to Saylorville Lake in central Iowa.recreation demand; count data; rounding
Intentional rounding in the context of student learning
No full text© 2020 Australian College of Nursing Ltd Problem/background: Intentional rounding or regular patient checks were introduced in to healthcare settings to enhance patient safety and satisfaction. Patient and staff experiences have been explored in the literature, however the student nurse’ experience of this intervention has not been explored in the context of their learning on clinical placement. Aim: This study aimed to explore students’ experience and understanding of intentional rounding in the clinical setting. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 student nurses. Findings: Intentional rounding has raised many learning issues for students. The study found that intentional rounding creates a framework to reflect on the nexus between attending to patient need, and the learning student nurses undertake, and creates an avenue for them to be able to operationalise quality patient care. Discussion: Student nurses need to be part of the ward ‘team’ to enhance their learning. There are limitations surrounding positive role modelling, sharing of information and formal education in such interventions, which impacts students’ confidence, involvement and understanding. If done effectively, participation in intentional rounding can increase students’ time management skills, assessment ability, and the safety of the patient. Conclusion: Modelling positive behaviours, and encouraging active and educated involvement in intentional rounding will enhance confidence and skill, and reduce the theory practice gap
Intentional rounding – An integrative literature review
No full text© 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd Aims: To establish current knowledge about the efficacy and acceptance of intentional rounding in current practice, from the perspective of nurses, patients, patient satisfaction and safety indicators. Background: Intentional rounding is a formal means of nursing staff checking care needs of patients in hospital settings on a regular basis. Design: An integrative literature review conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute manual. Data sources: A literature search from 2000 – 2017 was conducted using the following electronic databases: The Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, ProQuest, PubMed, Informit, Sage and Scopus. Review methods: Articles were assessed for quality and rigor using the Critical Appraisal Skills Program tool and the Effective Public Health Practice Project Quality Assessment tool for Quantitative Studies. A sequential explanatory mixed studies approach was used to combine qualitative and quantitative evidence in a single review. In-depth parallel reviews of the quantitative and qualitative evidence were undertaken, and then a synthesis of the combined qualitative and quantitative evidence conducted. Results: Intentional rounding has positive outcomes on patient satisfaction and safety. Nurses perceive benefits related to intentional rounding; however, some nurses perceive it as an additional, unnecessary task. The effectiveness of intentional rounding is influenced by external factors including leadership and formal rounding education, workload, ward layout, staffing and experience level. Conclusion: Intentional rounding is a positive intervention in patient safety and satisfaction generally, but needs further research and consideration about actual impact, staff delegation, education and engagement, student nurse involvement, documentation and specializing the structure of intentional rounding
Nurse-Physician Communication During Interdisciplinary Team Rounding: An Observational Study in Internal Medicine
No full textDhwani Krishnan,1 Anna Dermenchyan,2 Wendy Simon,2 Caitlin Chen,1 Sitaram Vangala,3 Erin P Dowling2 1The Healthcare Improvement & Innovation in Quality (THINQ) Collaborative, Department of Medicine, UCLA Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; 2Department of Medicine Quality, UCLA Health, Los Angeles, CA, USA; 3Department of Medicine Statistics Core, UCLA Health, Los Angeles, CA, USACorrespondence: Erin P Dowling, Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, 757 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA, Tel +1 310-267-9643, Email [email protected]: Interdisciplinary team rounding improves communication in hospital settings by bringing together multiple disciplines to collaborate on a patient’s plan of care. While prior research has demonstrated the benefits, the relationship between time spent at the bedside and the delivery of key clinical content remains less understood. This study examined whether physician bedside rounding time and nurse-physician interaction time influenced discussions of care plan elements and engagement of care team members.Methods: We conducted an observational descriptive study at a quaternary academic medical center. Using a standardized observation tool, trained student observers recorded data from a sample of 1007 patient encounters during morning internal medicine rounds. Logistic regression was used to assess associations between bedside rounding time, nurse-physician interaction time, and discussions of the plan of the day, overall hospitalization goals, and anticipated discharge, as well as nurse and patient/family involvement.Results: Of the 1007 encounters, 64.7% (n=652) included a nurse-physician interaction, with a mean interaction time of 6.1 minutes (SD=4.8). Longer bedside rounding time increased the likelihood of discussions about hospitalization goals (OR=1.60, 95% CI: 1.09– 2.54) and anticipated discharge (OR=1.25, 95% CI: 1.02– 1.54). Longer nurse-physician interaction time significantly increased the likelihood of nurse involvement across all three discussion topics and was also associated with greater patient/family engagement.Conclusion: Longer bedside rounding and structured nurse-physician interaction both enhanced communication during rounds. Nurse-physician interaction time was the stronger predictor of inclusive discussions, underscoring the importance of structured approaches to engage nurses in interdisciplinary rounding.Keywords: interdisciplinary communication, patient care team, physician-nurse relations, teaching round
Respondent behavior and data quality aspects in panel surveys : four empirical contributions
No full textThe four essays of this dissertation provide a number of new and unique
insights on diverse issues of respondent behavior and aspects of data quality in
surveys.
The first paper examines the determinants of item nonresponse on several
questions of households' wealth, households' income, and respondents' income. It
firstly provides empirical evidence that the mechanisms behind item
nonresponses and "don't know" statements differ. The item nonresponse intensity
is found to be item specific. The interactions between the respondent and the
interviewer and the interview situation are evaluated and it is found that the
gender of both, respondent and interviewer, and the age difference between
interviewer and respondent have an influence on the occurrence of nonresponse.
The second and third paper show that the correlation of item nonresponse with
subsequent unit nonresponse is not necessarily positive and linear. The analysis
shows a negative correlation of item nonresponse with the newly introduced
category of (wealth-) questionnaire nonresponse. With respect to subsequent unit
nonresponse it is shown that the correlation pattern with the INR rate is
nonlinear. It obeys an inverse-U-shaped pattern, which is explained by
simultaneous drop-out of two types of respondents: those with low INR
propensity and those with high INR propensity.
Finally, the fourth study examines the quality of income data provided by the
respondents with respect to rounding. It finds that rounding does not occur at
random, but is explicable by cost/benefit considerations of the respondent. The
magnitude of rounding is also correlated with the income figure and
autocorrelated. This provides evidence that the rounding error is likely to harm
estimates of empirical studies with rounded data. From a methodological point of
view, this study contributes to the check of ordinality of discrete outcomes of a
variable and the adequacy of ordered regression models.
All four papers of this dissertation contribute to the understanding of the social
interaction processes which occur during a survey interview. The benefit of the
insights provided in this dissertation is threefold: first, the findings enable survey
institutions to advance the data collection process, in order to reduce data
deficiencies and increase the informational value of the survey: We have shown
that pairing interviewers based on gender and age may reduce income INR, Face-to-face interviews are beneficial for reducing INR and UNR, and experienced
interviewers improve the quality of the collected data.
Second, the results could support the sophistication of imputation procedures
for missing or misreported data. Since we have shown that the mechanisms
behind item nonresponses and "don't know" statements originate from different
response processes, the origin of missing statements should be considered by
imputation methods.
Third, the methods employed in the studies may improve researchers' ability
to rigorously deal with misreports in his or her own empirical analyses, e.g. to
use selection models with pre-interview data as instruments.
Nonetheless, further research is needed to derive more concrete advise on how
to design a survey study to increase the quality of the data collected. Since the
approach underlying the studies herein is of empirical nature, the results of these
studies are restricted to observable and surveyed characteristics of respondents,
interviewers and the interview situation. It is likely that this reflects only part of
the story, since a lot of possible determinants may be unobservable, nonmeasurable
or not surveyed. This opens avenues of qualitative research in the
disciplines of e.g. sociology and psychology
Bayesian assessment of rounding-based disclosure control
No full textIn this paper, we consider how the security of a disclosure control mechanism based on randomised, but uncontrolled, rounding can be assessed by Bayesian methods. We develop a methodology, based on Markov chain Monte Carlo, for estimating the conditional (posterior) probability distribution for the original cell counts given the released rounded values. An effective rounding-based disclosure control will result in high posterior uncertainty about the true value. Conversely, a posterior distribution concentrated on a single value provides evidence of ineffective disclosure control
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