create_node_list function

Create a node list specification

Creates a node list specification that is used by the provided estimators. create_node_list() is not explicitly called by the analyst, rather it is provided so the analyst can confirm how estimators will use variables before actually performing the estimation procedure.

create_node_list(trt, tau, time_vary = NULL, baseline = NULL, k = Inf)

Arguments

• trt: A vector of column names of treatment variables.
• tau: The number of time points of observation, excluding the final outcome.
• time_vary: A list of length tau with the column names for new time_vary to be introduced at each time point. The list should be ordered following the time ordering of the model.
• baseline: An optional vector of columns names for baseline covariates to be included for adjustment at every timepoint.
• k: An integer specifying how previous time points should be used for estimation at the given time point. Default is Inf, all time points.

Returns

A list of lists. Each sub-list is the same length of the time_vary parameter with the variables to be used for estimation at that given time point for either the treatment mechanism or outcome regression.

Examples

a <- c("A_1", "A_2", "A_3", "A_4")
bs <- c("W_1", "W_2")
time_vary <- list(c("L_1"), c("L_2"), c("L_3"), c("L_4"))

# assuming no Markov property
create_node_list(a, 4, time_vary, bs, k = Inf)

# assuming a Markov property
create_node_list(a, 4, time_vary, bs, k = 0)