A computer program for multiple decrement life table analyses
Poole, W.K.; Cooley, P.C.
Computer Programs in Biomedicine 7(2): 63-70
1977
ISSN/ISBN: 0010-468X PMID: 862393 DOI: 10.1016/0010-468x(77)90013-7Document Number: 515144
Life table analysis has traditionally been the tool of choice in analyzing distribution of survival times when a parametric form for the survival curve could not be reasonably assumed. Chiang formalized the theory of life table analyses in a Markov chain framework and derived maximum likelihood estimates of the relevant parameters for the analyses. He discussed how the techniques could be generalized to consider competing risks and follow-up studies. Although various computer programs exist for doing different types of life table analysis to date, there has not been a generally available, well documented computer program to carry out multiple decrement analyses, either by Chiang's or any other method. This paper describes such a program developed by Research Triangle Institute. A user's manual is available at printing costs which supplements the contents of this paper with a discussion of the formula used in the program listing.