[Babase] MEMBERS comparison - Karl question

Catherine Markham babase@www.eco.princeton.edu
Tue, 27 Sep 2005 11:11:47 -0400


Karl,

I have a question for you about MEMBERS interpolation regarding death 
dates.  The documentation states the following:

"... 14 day interpolation limit applies when the individual is dead. 
When there are no absences after the last census and there are more than 
14 days between the last census and the Statdate the individual is 
placed in the unknown group from the 15th day through the day of death."

That makes sense to me, but I don't think I had also consciously 
considered the other way an individual can be placed in Group 9 on the 
death date - it didn't occur to me until looking into the records for ATO.

ATO is a female censused in Weaver's group as present on 25 May 2001 and 
absent on the next group census day on 29 May 2001 (this absence was 
entered in CENSUS).  Her death date is 27 May 2001.  The old MEMBERS 
placed her in Weaver's group on this day, the new MEMBERS places her in 
the unknown group on this day.  The new MEMBERS is looking at the 
absence on 29 May 2001 no differently than it would for, say, any male 
who disappears from a study group - it essentially considers ATO's group 
to be 9 on the 29th.  So it turns out that the 27th is a perfect 
mid-point between presence in Weaver's and placement in Group 9.  This 
makes the day's group placement more or less a coin toss - it could have 
been Weaver's or it could have been (and in this case it was) Group 9.

Did I follow the logic of that correctly?

Catherine