Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 18, 2026

Basics of Multivariate Analysis in Neuroimaging Data
Published on: July 25, 2010
A review of two journals found that articles using multivariable logistic regression frequently did not report
Kenneth J Ottenbacher1, Heather R Ottenbacher, Leigh Tooth
1Division of Rehabilitation Sciences and Sealy Center on Aging, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-1137, USA. kottenba@utmb.edu
Background And Objective:
To examine if commonly recommended assumptions for multivariable logistic regression are addressed in two major epidemiological journals.
Methods:
Ninety-nine articles from the Journal of Clinical Epidemiology and the American Journal of Epidemiology were surveyed for 10 criteria: six dealing with computation and four with reporting multivariable logistic regression results.
Results:
Three of the 10 criteria were addressed in 50% or more of the articles. Statistical significance testing or confidence intervals were reported in all articles. Methods for selecting independent variables were described in 82%, and specific procedures used to generate the models were discussed in 65%. Fewer than 50% of the articles indicated if interactions were tested or met the recommended events per independent variable ratio of 10:1. Fewer than 20% of the articles described conformity to a linear gradient, examined collinearity, reported information on validation procedures, goodness-of-fit, discrimination statistics, or provided complete information on variable coding. There was no significant difference (P>.05) in the proportion of articles meeting the criteria across the two journals.
Conclusion:
Articles reviewed frequently did not report commonly recommended assumptions for using multivariable logistic regression.
Related Concept Videos
Multiple Allele Traits
Regression Toward the Mean
Multiple Regression
Farmers can use multiple regression to determine the crop yield based on more than one factor, such as water availability, fertilizer, soil properties, etc. Here, the crop yield is the response or dependent variable as it depends on the other independent variables. The analysis requires the construction of a scatter plot...
Confounding in Epidemiological Studies
Bias in Epidemiological Studies
Assumptions of Survival Analysis

