Cluster analysis applied in the epidemiological stratification analysis / 中华流行病学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To establish a new method on stratification analysis when the stratification limits of confounding factors was not clear or contradictory.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Data on a study of diabetes mellitus in Guangdong province collected in the year of 1997 and 1998 was analyzed using cluster-stratification analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The efficiency of stratification analysis was improved and the confounding bias was effectively controlled with information bias avoided when the clusters-stratification analysis was applied.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The problem was logically solved using cluster analysis as an assistant stratification means.</p>