S4E3: How do we define efficiency?

In this episode, Hailey and Matt continue on their discussion on study efficiency and realize that we think about efficiency in very different ways. We talk about the difference between statistical efficiency and cost efficiency and we each make our case for one of them being the driving force in how we design and analyze studies. It may be the biggest disagreement we’ve had yet (though maybe that was interaction).We talk about matching and its impact of efficiency and also why we do matching. And we try to understand when matching is useful. Studies mentioned in the podcast: Rothman KJ, Poole C. A strengthening programme for weak associations. Int J Epidemiol. 1988 Dec;17(4):955-9. doi: 10.1093/ije/17.4.955. PMID: 3225112.