The fact that so many analyses about vaccine/mortality--particularly by state (thereby inferring partisan affiliation)--lump the age groups by such vast age ranges and assume they're adequately controlling for age drives me up a wall. I can't believe that serious publications actually think that a 64 year-old has a similar risk profile to an 18 year-old. Yet in so many analyses, they're treated identically.
By lumping this group together, we completely miss whether or not the "fully vaccinated rate" is being dragged down by the youngest members of that group who are also at least risk from severe outcomes. So, we're potentially attributing the deaths of fully-vaccinated 64 year-olds with comorbidities to the decisions healthy 18 year-olds not to get the vaccine.
This emphasis on driving partisan narratives is causing people to make very dubious analytical decisions. Confirmation bias is a helluva drug.
The fact that so many analyses about vaccine/mortality--particularly by state (thereby inferring partisan affiliation)--lump the age groups by such vast age ranges and assume they're adequately controlling for age drives me up a wall. I can't believe that serious publications actually think that a 64 year-old has a similar risk profile to an 18 year-old. Yet in so many analyses, they're treated identically.
By lumping this group together, we completely miss whether or not the "fully vaccinated rate" is being dragged down by the youngest members of that group who are also at least risk from severe outcomes. So, we're potentially attributing the deaths of fully-vaccinated 64 year-olds with comorbidities to the decisions healthy 18 year-olds not to get the vaccine.
This emphasis on driving partisan narratives is causing people to make very dubious analytical decisions. Confirmation bias is a helluva drug.
At least it's a bit more granular than a blanket "vaccination rate", so I was happy to get that, at least.
Maybe I will do a part three.... but I have so many more mortality analyses to do first! ;)
Should we be eligible for CE credits after reading these posts? :-)
As I always ask people: did you learn something?
Then mark it down!