Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2015 / iii / Paper 35 / 1 / c

A complete-case analysis changes the mix of people contributing to the logistic regression. Let $A=1$ mean that both required variables are observed, and write $s_c(p,z)=\mathrm{Pr}(A=1\mid C=c,P=p,Z=z)$. Within $P>1$, Bayes theorem givesIf completeness depends differently on the two responses, and that selection also varies with partner count or the other predictors, the extra term changes the fitted regression coefficients. For example, people with high counts and poor condom use can be under-represented, weakening or otherwise distorting the apparent association. Dropping people with missing $P$ also excludes some whose membership of the $P>1$ target group is unknown.

The fitted conditional association among complete responders need not equal the target-population association. No direction of selection bias follows without specifying the response mechanism. Selection on predictors alone need not bias a correctly specified conditional logistic regression; it is the outcome-related selection described here that removes that reassurance.