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   <H1 align=center><FONT color=#00006a>Computing Health Expectancies using
 <head>  IMaCh</FONT></H1>
 <meta http-equiv="Content-Type"  <H1 align=center><FONT color=#00006a size=5>(a Maximum Likelihood Computer
 content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">  Program using Interpolation of Markov Chains)</FONT></H1>
 <title>IMaCh</title>  <P align=center>&nbsp;</P>
 </head>  <P align=center><A href="http://www.ined.fr/"><IMG border=0 height=76
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   <H3 align=center><A href="http://www.ined.fr/"><FONT
 <h1 align="center"><font color="#00006A">Computing Health  color=#00006a>INED</FONT></A><FONT color=#00006a> and </FONT><A
 Expectancies using IMaCh</font></h1>  href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/"><FONT color=#00006a>EUROREVES</FONT></A></H3>
   <P align=center><FONT color=#00006a size=4><STRONG>Version 0.97, June
 <h1 align="center"><font color="#00006A" size="5">(a Maximum  2004</STRONG></FONT></P>
 Likelihood Computer Program using Interpolation of Markov Chains)</font></h1>  <HR color=#ec5e5e SIZE=3>
   
 <p align="center">&nbsp;</p>  <P align=center><FONT color=#00006a><STRONG>Authors of the program:
   </STRONG></FONT><A href="http://sauvy.ined.fr/brouard"><FONT
 <p align="center"><a href="http://www.ined.fr/"><img  color=#00006a><STRONG>Nicolas Brouard</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT
 src="logo-ined.gif" border="0" width="151" height="76"></a><img  color=#00006a><STRONG>, senior researcher at the </STRONG></FONT><A
 src="euroreves2.gif" width="151" height="75"></p>  href="http://www.ined.fr/"><FONT color=#00006a><STRONG>Institut National
   d'Etudes Démographiques</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT color=#00006a><STRONG> (INED,
 <h3 align="center"><a href="http://www.ined.fr/"><font  Paris) in the "Mortality, Health and Epidemiology" Research Unit
 color="#00006A">INED</font></a><font color="#00006A"> and </font><a  </STRONG></FONT></P>
 href="http://euroreves.ined.fr"><font color="#00006A">EUROREVES</font></a></h3>  <P align=center><FONT color=#00006a><STRONG>and Agnès Lièvre<BR
   clear=left></STRONG></FONT></P>
 <p align="center"><font color="#00006A" size="4"><strong>Version  <H4><FONT color=#00006a>Contribution to the mathematics: C. R. Heathcote
 0.97, June 2004</strong></font></p>  </FONT><FONT color=#00006a size=2>(Australian National University,
   Canberra).</FONT></H4>
 <hr size="3" color="#EC5E5E">  <H4><FONT color=#00006a>Contact: Agnès Lièvre (</FONT><A
   href="mailto:lievre@ined.fr"><FONT
 <p align="center"><font color="#00006A"><strong>Authors of the  color=#00006a><I>lievre@ined.fr</I></FONT></A><FONT color=#00006a>) </FONT></H4>
 program: </strong></font><a href="http://sauvy.ined.fr/brouard"><font  <HR>
 color="#00006A"><strong>Nicolas Brouard</strong></font></a><font  
 color="#00006A"><strong>, senior researcher at the </strong></font><a  <UL>
 href="http://www.ined.fr"><font color="#00006A"><strong>Institut    <LI><A
 National d'Etudes Démographiques</strong></font></a><font    href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach/doc/imach.htm#intro">Introduction</A>
 color="#00006A"><strong> (INED, Paris) in the &quot;Mortality,    <LI><A href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach/doc/imach.htm#data">On what kind
 Health and Epidemiology&quot; Research Unit </strong></font></p>    of data can it be used?</A>
     <LI><A href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach/doc/imach.htm#datafile">The data
 <p align="center"><font color="#00006A"><strong>and Agnès    file</A>
 Lièvre<br clear="left">    <LI><A href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach/doc/imach.htm#biaspar">The
 </strong></font></p>    parameter file</A>
     <LI><A href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach/doc/imach.htm#running">Running
 <h4><font color="#00006A">Contribution to the mathematics: C. R.    Imach</A>
 Heathcote </font><font color="#00006A" size="2">(Australian    <LI><A href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach/doc/imach.htm#output">Output files
 National University, Canberra).</font></h4>    and graphs</A>
     <LI><A href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach/doc/imach.htm#example">Exemple</A>
 <h4><font color="#00006A">Contact: Agnès Lièvre (</font><a    </LI></UL>
 href="mailto:lievre@ined.fr"><font color="#00006A"><i>lievre@ined.fr</i></font></a><font  <HR>
 color="#00006A">) </font></h4>  
   <H2><A name=intro><FONT color=#00006a>Introduction</FONT></A></H2>
 <hr>  <P>This program computes <B>Healthy Life Expectancies</B> from
   <B>cross-longitudinal data</B> using the methodology pioneered by Laditka and
 <ul>  Wolf (1). Within the family of Health Expectancies (HE), disability-free life
     <li><a href="#intro">Introduction</a> </li>  expectancy (DFLE) is probably the most important index to monitor. In low
     <li><a href="#data">On what kind of data can it be used?</a></li>  mortality countries, there is a fear that when mortality declines (and therefore total life expectancy improves), the increase will not be as great, leading to an <EM>Expansion of morbidity</EM>. Most of the data collected today,
     <li><a href="#datafile">The data file</a> </li>  in particular by the international <A href="http://www.reves.org/">REVES</A>
     <li><a href="#biaspar">The parameter file</a> </li>  network on Health Expectancy and the disability process, and most HE indices based on these data, are
     <li><a href="#running">Running Imach</a> </li>  <EM>cross-sectional</EM>. This means that the information collected comes from a
     <li><a href="#output">Output files and graphs</a> </li>  single cross-sectional survey: people from a variety of ages (but often old people)
     <li><a href="#example">Exemple</a> </li>  are surveyed on their health status at a single date. The proportion of people
 </ul>  disabled at each age can then be estimated at that date. This age-specific
   prevalence curve is used to distinguish, within the stationary population
 <hr>  (which, by definition, is the life table estimated from the vital statistics on
   mortality at the same date), the disabled population from the disability-free
 <h2><a name="intro"><font color="#00006A">Introduction</font></a></h2>  population. Life expectancy (LE) (or total population divided by the yearly
   number of births or deaths of this stationary population) is then decomposed
 <p>This program computes <b>Healthy Life Expectancies</b> from <b>cross-longitudinal  into disability-free life expectancy (DFLE) and disability life
 data</b> using the methodology pioneered by Laditka and Wolf (1).  expectancy (DLE). This method of computing HE is usually called the Sullivan
 Within the family of Health Expectancies (HE), Disability-free  method (after the author who first described it).</P>
 life expectancy (DFLE) is probably the most important index to  <P>The age-specific proportions of people disabled (prevalence of disability) are
 monitor. In low mortality countries, there is a fear that when  dependent upon the historical flows from entering disability and recovering in the past. The age-specific forces (or incidence rates) of entering
 mortality declines, the increase in DFLE is not proportionate to  disability or recovering a good health, estimated over a recent period of time (as period forces of mortality), are reflecting current conditions and
 the increase in total Life expectancy. This case is called the <em>Expansion  therefore can be used at each age to forecast the future of this cohort <EM>if
 of morbidity</em>. Most of the data collected today, in  nothing changes in the future</EM>, i.e to forecast the prevalence of disability of each cohort. Our finding (2) is that the period prevalence of disability
 particular by the international <a href="http://www.reves.org">REVES</a>  (computed from period incidences) is lower than the cross-sectional prevalence.
 network on Health expectancy, and most HE indices based on these  For example if a country is improving its technology of prosthesis, the
 data, are <em>cross-sectional</em>. It means that the information  incidence of recovering the ability to walk will be higher at each (old) age,
 collected comes from a single cross-sectional survey: people from  but the prevalence of disability will only slightly reflect an improvement because
 various ages (but mostly old people) are surveyed on their health  the prevalence is mostly affected by the history of the cohort and not by recent
 status at a single date. Proportion of people disabled at each  period effects. To measure the period improvement we have to simulate the future
 age, can then be measured at that date. This age-specific  of a cohort of new-borns entering or leaving the disability state or
 prevalence curve is then used to distinguish, within the  dying at each age according to the incidence rates measured today on different cohorts. The
 stationary population (which, by definition, is the life table  proportion of people disabled at each age in this simulated cohort will be much
 estimated from the vital statistics on mortality at the same  lower that the proportions observed at each age in a cross-sectional survey.
 date), the disable population from the disability-free  This new prevalence curve introduced in a life table will give a more realistic
 population. Life expectancy (LE) (or total population divided by  HE level than the Sullivan method which mostly reflects the history of health
 the yearly number of births or deaths of this stationary  conditions in a country.</P>
 population) is then decomposed into DFLE and DLE. This method of  <P>Therefore, the main question is how can we measure incidence rates from
 computing HE is usually called the Sullivan method (from the name  cross-longitudinal surveys? This is the goal of the IMaCH program. From your
 of the author who first described it).</p>  data and using IMaCH you can estimate period HE as well as the Sullivan HE. In addition the standard errors of the HE are computed.</P>
   <P>A cross-longitudinal survey consists of a first survey ("cross") where
 <p>Age-specific proportions of people disabled (prevalence of  individuals of different ages are interviewed about their health status or degree
 disability) are dependent on the historical flows from entering  of disability. At least a second wave of interviews ("longitudinal") should
 disability and recovering in the past until today. The age-specific  measure each individual new health status. Health expectancies are computed from
 forces (or incidence rates), estimated over a recent period of time  the transitions observed between waves (interviews) and are computed for each degree of
 (like for period forces of mortality), of entering disability or  severity of disability (number of health states). The more degrees of severity considered, the more
 recovering a good health, are reflecting current conditions and  time is necessary to reach the Maximum Likelihood of the parameters involved in
 therefore can be used at each age to forecast the future of this  the model. Considering only two states of disability (disabled and healthy) is
 cohort<em>if nothing changes in the future</em>, i.e to forecast the  generally enough but the computer program works also with more health
 prevalence of disability of each cohort. Our finding (2) is that the period  states.<BR><BR>The simplest model for the transition probabilities is the multinomial logistic model where
 prevalence of disability (computed from period incidences) is lower  <I>pij</I> is the probability to be observed in state <I>j</I> at the second
 than the cross-sectional prevalence. For example if a country is  wave conditional to be observed in state <EM>i</EM> at the first wave. Therefore
 improving its technology of prosthesis, the incidence of recovering  a simple model is: log<EM>(pij/pii)= aij + bij*age+ cij*sex,</EM> where
 the ability to walk will be higher at each (old) age, but the  '<I>age</I>' is age and '<I>sex</I>' is a covariate. The advantage that this
 prevalence of disability will only slightly reflect an improve because  computer program claims, is that if the delay between waves is not
 the prevalence is mostly affected by the history of the cohort and not  identical for each individual, or if some individual missed an interview, the
 by recent period effects. To measure the period improvement we have to  information is not rounded or lost, but taken into account using an
 simulate the future of a cohort of new-borns entering or leaving at  interpolation or extrapolation. <I>hPijx</I> is the probability to be observed
 each age the disability state or dying according to the incidence  in state <I>i</I> at age <I>x+h</I> conditional on the observed state <I>i</I>
 rates measured today on different cohorts. The proportion of people  at age <I>x</I>. The delay '<I>h</I>' can be split into an exact number
 disabled at each age in this simulated cohort will be much lower that  (<I>nh*stepm</I>) of unobserved intermediate states. This elementary transition
 the proportions observed at each age in a cross-sectional survey. This  (by month or quarter, trimester, semester or year) is modeled as the above multinomial
 new prevalence curve introduced in a life table will give a more  logistic. The <I>hPx</I> matrix is simply the matrix product of <I>nh*stepm</I>
 realistic HE level than the Sullivan method which mostly measured the  elementary matrices and the contribution of each individual to the likelihood is
 History of health conditions in this country.</p>  simply <I>hPijx</I>. <BR></P>
   <P>The program presented in this manual is a general program named
 <p>Therefore, the main question is how to measure incidence rates  <STRONG>IMaCh</STRONG> (for <STRONG>I</STRONG>nterpolated
 from cross-longitudinal surveys? This is the goal of the IMaCH  <STRONG>MA</STRONG>rkov <STRONG>CH</STRONG>ain), designed to analyse transitions from longitudinal surveys. The first step is the estimation of the set of the parameters of a model for the  
 program. From your data and using IMaCH you can estimate period  transition probabilities between an initial state and a final state.
 HE and not only Sullivan's HE. Also the standard errors of the HE  From there, the computer program produces indicators such as the observed and
 are computed.</p>  stationary prevalence, life expectancies and their variances both numerically and graphically. Our
   transition model consists of absorbing and non-absorbing states assuming the
 <p>A cross-longitudinal survey consists in a first survey  possibility of return across the non-absorbing states. The main advantage of
 (&quot;cross&quot;) where individuals from different ages are  this package, compared to other programs for the analysis of transition data
 interviewed on their health status or degree of disability. At  (for example: Proc Catmod of SAS<SUP>®</SUP>) is that the whole individual
 least a second wave of interviews (&quot;longitudinal&quot;)  information is used even if an interview is missing, a state or a date is
 should measure each new individual health status. Health  unknown or when the delay between waves is not identical for each individual.
 expectancies are computed from the transitions observed between  The program is dependent upon a set of parameters inputted by the user: selection of a sub-sample,
 waves and are computed for each degree of severity of disability  number of absorbing and non-absorbing states, number of waves to be taken in account , a tolerance level for the
 (number of life states). More degrees you consider, more time is  maximization function, the periodicity of the transitions (we can compute
 necessary to reach the Maximum Likelihood of the parameters  annual, quarterly or monthly transitions), covariates in the model. IMaCh works on
 involved in the model. Considering only two states of disability  Windows or on Unix platform.<BR></P>
 (disable and healthy) is generally enough but the computer  <HR>
 program works also with more health statuses.<br>  
 <br>  <P>(1) Laditka S. B. and Wolf, D. (1998), New Methods for Analyzing
 The simplest model is the multinomial logistic model where <i>pij</i>  Active Life Expectancy. <I>Journal of Aging and Health</I>. Vol 10, No. 2. </P>
 is the probability to be observed in state <i>j</i> at the second  <P>(2) <A
 wave conditional to be observed in state <em>i</em> at the first  href="http://taylorandfrancis.metapress.com/app/home/contribution.asp?wasp=1f99bwtvmk5yrb7hlhw3&amp;referrer=parent&amp;backto=issue,1,2;journal,2,5;linkingpublicationresults,1:300265,1">Lièvre
 wave. Therefore a simple model is: log<em>(pij/pii)= aij +  A., Brouard N. and Heathcote Ch. (2003) Estimating Health Expectancies from
 bij*age+ cij*sex,</em> where '<i>age</i>' is age and '<i>sex</i>'  Cross-longitudinal surveys. <EM>Mathematical Population Studies</EM>.- 10(4),
 is a covariate. The advantage that this computer program claims,  pp. 211-248</A>
 comes from that if the delay between waves is not identical for  <HR>
 each individual, or if some individual missed an interview, the  
 information is not rounded or lost, but taken into account using  <H2><A name=data><FONT color=#00006a>What kind of data is required?</FONT></A></H2>
 an interpolation or extrapolation. <i>hPijx</i> is the  <P>The minimum data required for a transition model is the recording of a set of
 probability to be observed in state <i>i</i> at age <i>x+h</i>  individuals interviewed at a first date and interviewed once more. From the observations of an individual, we obtain a follow-up over
 conditional to the observed state <i>i</i> at age <i>x</i>. The  time of the occurrence of a specific event. In this documentation, the event is
 delay '<i>h</i>' can be split into an exact number (<i>nh*stepm</i>)  related to health state, but the program can be applied to many
 of unobserved intermediate states. This elementary transition (by  longitudinal studies with different contexts. To build the data file
 month or quarter trimester, semester or year) is modeled as a  as explained
 multinomial logistic. The <i>hPx</i> matrix is simply the matrix  in the next section, you must have the month and year of each interview and
 product of <i>nh*stepm</i> elementary matrices and the  the corresponding health state. In order to get age, date of birth (month
 contribution of each individual to the likelihood is simply <i>hPijx</i>.  and year) are required (missing values are allowed for month). Date of death
 <br>  (month and year) is an important information also required if the individual is
 </p>  dead. Shorter steps (i.e. a month) will more closely take into account the
   survival time after the last interview.</P>
 <p>The program presented in this manual is a quite general  <HR>
 program named <strong>IMaCh</strong> (for <strong>I</strong>nterpolated  
 <strong>MA</strong>rkov <strong>CH</strong>ain), designed to  <H2><A name=datafile><FONT color=#00006a>The data file</FONT></A></H2>
 analyse transition data from longitudinal surveys. The first step  <P>In this example, 8,000 people have been interviewed in a cross-longitudinal
 is the parameters estimation of a transition probabilities model  survey of 4 waves (1984, 1986, 1988, 1990). Some people missed 1, 2 or 3
 between an initial status and a final status. From there, the  interviews. Health states are healthy (1) and disabled (2). The survey is not a
 computer program produces some indicators such as observed and  real one but a simulation of the American Longitudinal Survey on Aging. The
 stationary prevalence, life expectancies and their variances and  disability state is defined as dependence in at least one of four ADLs (Activities
 graphs. Our transition model consists in absorbing and  of daily living, like bathing, eating, walking). Therefore, even if the
 non-absorbing states with the possibility of return across the  individuals interviewed in the sample are virtual, the information in
 non-absorbing states. The main advantage of this package,  this sample is close to reality for the United States. Sex is not recorded
 compared to other programs for the analysis of transition data  is this sample. The LSOA survey is biased in the sense that people
 (For example: Proc Catmod of SAS<sup>®</sup>) is that the whole  living in an institution were not included in the first interview in
 individual information is used even if an interview is missing, a  1984. Thus the prevalence of disability observed in 1984 is lower than
 status or a date is unknown or when the delay between waves is  the true prevalence at old ages. However when people moved into an
 not identical for each individual. The program can be executed  institution, they were interviewed there in 1986, 1988 and 1990. Thus
 according to parameters: selection of a sub-sample, number of  the incidences of disabilities are not biased. Cross-sectional
 absorbing and non-absorbing states, number of waves taken in  prevalences of disability at old ages are thus artificially increasing in 1986,
 account (the user inputs the first and the last interview), a  1988 and 1990 because of a greater proportion of the sample
 tolerance level for the maximization function, the periodicity of  institutionalized. Our article (Lièvre A., Brouard N. and Heathcote
 the transitions (we can compute annual, quarterly or monthly  Ch. (2003)) shows the opposite: the period prevalence based on the
 transitions), covariates in the model. It works on Windows or on  incidences is lower at old  
 Unix.<br>  ages than the adjusted cross-sectional prevalence illustrating that
 </p>  there has been significant progress against disability.</P>
   <P>Each line of the data set (named <A
 <hr>  href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach/doc/data1.txt">data1.txt</A> in this first
   example) is an individual record. Fields are separated by blanks: </P>
 <p>(1) Laditka, Sarah B. and Wolf, Douglas A. (1998), &quot;New  <UL>
 Methods for Analyzing Active Life Expectancy&quot;. <i>Journal of    <LI><B>Index number</B>: positive number (field 1)
 Aging and Health</i>. Vol 10, No. 2. </p>    <LI><B>First covariate</B> positive number (field 2)
 <p>(2) <a href=http://taylorandfrancis.metapress.com/app/home/contribution.asp?wasp=1f99bwtvmk5yrb7hlhw3&referrer=parent&backto=issue,1,2;journal,2,5;linkingpublicationresults,1:300265,1    <LI><B>Second covariate</B> positive number (field 3)
 >Lièvre A., Brouard N. and Heathcote Ch. (2003) Estimating Health Expectancies    <LI><A name=Weight><B>Weight</B></A>: positive number (field 4) . In most
 from Cross-longitudinal surveys. <em>Mathematical Population Studies</em>.- 10(4), pp. 211-248</a>    surveys individuals are weighted to account for stratification of the
     sample.
 <hr>    <LI><B>Date of birth</B>: coded as mm/yyyy. Missing dates are coded as 99/9999
     (field 5)
 <h2><a name="data"><font color="#00006A">On what kind of data can    <LI><B>Date of death</B>: coded as mm/yyyy. Missing dates are coded as 99/9999
 it be used?</font></a></h2>    (field 6)
     <LI><B>Date of first interview</B>: coded as mm/yyyy. Missing dates are coded
 <p>The minimum data required for a transition model is the    as 99/9999 (field 7)
 recording of a set of individuals interviewed at a first date and    <LI><B>Status at first interview</B>: positive number. Missing values ar coded
 interviewed again at least one another time. From the    -1. (field 8)
 observations of an individual, we obtain a follow-up over time of    <LI><B>Date of second interview</B>: coded as mm/yyyy. Missing dates are coded
 the occurrence of a specific event. In this documentation, the    as 99/9999 (field 9)
 event is related to health status at older ages, but the program    <LI><STRONG>Status at second interview</STRONG> positive number. Missing
 can be applied on a lot of longitudinal studies in different    values ar coded -1. (field 10)
 contexts. To build the data file explained into the next section,    <LI><B>Date of third interview</B>: coded as mm/yyyy. Missing dates are coded
 you must have the month and year of each interview and the    as 99/9999 (field 11)
 corresponding health status. But in order to get age, date of    <LI><STRONG>Status at third interview</STRONG> positive number. Missing values
 birth (month and year) is required (missing values is allowed for    ar coded -1. (field 12)
 month). Date of death (month and year) is an important    <LI><B>Date of fourth interview</B>: coded as mm/yyyy. Missing dates are coded
 information also required if the individual is dead. Shorter    as 99/9999 (field 13)
 steps (i.e. a month) will more closely take into account the    <LI><STRONG>Status at fourth interview</STRONG> positive number. Missing
 survival time after the last interview.</p>    values are coded -1. (field 14)
     <LI>etc </LI></UL>
 <hr>  <P>&nbsp;</P>
   <P>If you do not wish to include information on weights or
 <h2><a name="datafile"><font color="#00006A">The data file</font></a></h2>  covariates, you must fill the column with a number (e.g. 1) since all
   fields must be present.</P>
 <p>In this example, 8,000 people have been interviewed in a  <HR>
 cross-longitudinal survey of 4 waves (1984, 1986, 1988, 1990).  Some  
 people missed 1, 2 or 3 interviews. Health statuses are healthy (1)  <H2><FONT color=#00006a>Your first example parameter file</FONT><A
 and disable (2). The survey is not a real one. It is a simulation of  href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach"></A><A name=uio></A></H2>
 the American Longitudinal Survey on Aging. The disability state is  <H2><A name=biaspar></A>#Imach version 0.97b, June 2004, INED-EUROREVES </H2>
 defined if the individual missed one of four ADL (Activity of daily  <P>This first line was a comment. Comments line start with a '#'.</P>
 living, like bathing, eating, walking).  Therefore, even if the  <H4><FONT color=#ff0000>First uncommented line</FONT></H4><PRE>title=1st_example datafile=data1.txt lastobs=8600 firstpass=1 lastpass=4</PRE>
 individuals interviewed in the sample are virtual, the information  <UL>
 brought with this sample is close to the situation of the United    <LI><B>title=</B> 1st_example is title of the run.
 States. Sex is not recorded is this sample. The LSOA survey is biased    <LI><B>datafile=</B> data1.txt is the name of the data set. Our example is a
 in the sense that people living in an institution were not surveyed at    six years follow-up survey. It consists of a baseline followed by 3
 first pass in 1984. Thus the prevalence of disability in 1984 is    reinterviews.
 biased downwards at old ages. But when people left their household to    <LI><B>lastobs=</B> 8600 the program is able to run on a subsample where the
 an institution, they have been surveyed in their institution in 1986,    last observation number is lastobs. It can be set a bigger number than the
 1988 or 1990. Thus incidences are not biased. But cross-sectional    real number of observations (e.g. 100000). In this example, maximisation will
 prevalences of disability at old ages are thus artificially increasing    be done on the first 8600 records.
 in 1986, 1988 and 1990 because of a higher weight of people    <LI><B>firstpass=1</B> , <B>lastpass=4 </B>If there are more than two interviews
 institutionalized in the sample. Our article shows the    in the survey, the program can be run on selected transitions periods.
 opposite: the period prevalence is lower at old ages than the    firstpass=1 means the first interview included in the calculation is the
 adjusted cross-sectional prevalence proving important current progress    baseline survey. lastpass=4 means that the last interview to be
 against disability.</p>    included will be by the 4th. </LI></UL>
   <P>&nbsp;</P>
 <p>Each line of the data set (named <a href="data1.txt">data1.txt</a>  <H4><A name=biaspar-2><FONT color=#ff0000>Second uncommented
 in this first example) is an individual record. Fields are separated  line</FONT></A></H4><PRE>ftol=1.e-08 stepm=1 ncovcol=2 nlstate=2 ndeath=1 maxwav=4 mle=1 weight=0</PRE>
 by blanks: </p>  <UL>
     <LI><B>ftol=1e-8</B> Convergence tolerance on the function value in the
 <ul>    maximisation of the likelihood. Choosing a correct value for ftol is
     <li><b>Index number</b>: positive number (field 1) </li>    difficult. 1e-8 is the correct value for a 32 bit computer.
     <li><b>First covariate</b> positive number (field 2) </li>    <LI><B>stepm=1</B> The time unit in months for interpolation. Examples:
     <li><b>Second covariate</b> positive number (field 3) </li>    <UL>
     <li><a name="Weight"><b>Weight</b></a>: positive number      <LI>If stepm=1, the unit is a month
         (field 4) . In most surveys individuals are weighted      <LI>If stepm=4, the unit is a trimester
         according to the stratification of the sample.</li>      <LI>If stepm=12, the unit is a year
     <li><b>Date of birth</b>: coded as mm/yyyy. Missing dates are      <LI>If stepm=24, the unit is two years
         coded as 99/9999 (field 5) </li>      <LI>... </LI></UL>
     <li><b>Date of death</b>: coded as mm/yyyy. Missing dates are    <LI><B>ncovcol=2</B> Number of covariate columns included in the datafile
         coded as 99/9999 (field 6) </li>    before the column for the date of birth. You can include covariates
     <li><b>Date of first interview</b>: coded as mm/yyyy. Missing    that will not be used in the model as this number is not the number of covariates that will
         dates are coded as 99/9999 (field 7) </li>    be specified by the model. The 'model' syntax describes the covariates to be
     <li><b>Status at first interview</b>: positive number.    taken into account during the run.
         Missing values ar coded -1. (field 8) </li>    <LI><B>nlstate=2</B> Number of non-absorbing (alive) states. Here we have two
     <li><b>Date of second interview</b>: coded as mm/yyyy.    alive states: disability-free is coded 1 and disability is coded 2.
         Missing dates are coded as 99/9999 (field 9) </li>    <LI><B>ndeath=1</B> Number of absorbing states. The absorbing state death is
     <li><strong>Status at second interview</strong> positive    coded 3.
         number. Missing values ar coded -1. (field 10) </li>    <LI><B>maxwav=4</B> Number of waves in the datafile.
     <li><b>Date of third interview</b>: coded as mm/yyyy. Missing    <LI><A name=mle><B>mle</B></A><B>=1</B> Option for the Maximisation Likelihood
         dates are coded as 99/9999 (field 11) </li>    Estimation.
     <li><strong>Status at third interview</strong> positive    <UL>
         number. Missing values ar coded -1. (field 12) </li>      <LI>If mle=1 the program does the maximisation and the calculation of health
     <li><b>Date of fourth interview</b>: coded as mm/yyyy.      expectancies
         Missing dates are coded as 99/9999 (field 13) </li>      <LI>If mle=0 the program only does the calculation of the health
     <li><strong>Status at fourth interview</strong> positive      expectancies and other indices and graphs but without the maximization.
         number. Missing values are coded -1. (field 14) </li>      There are also other possible values:
     <li>etc</li>      <UL>
 </ul>        <LI>If mle=-1 you get a template for the number of parameters
         and the size of the variance-covariance matrix. This is useful if the model is
 <p>&nbsp;</p>        complex with many covariates.
         <LI>If mle=-3 IMaCh computes the mortality but without any health status
 <p>If your longitudinal survey does not include information about        (May 2004)
 weights or covariates, you must fill the column with a number        <LI>If mle=2 IMach likelihood corresponds to a linear interpolation
 (e.g. 1) because a missing field is not allowed.</p>        <LI>If mle=3 IMach likelihood corresponds to an exponential
         inter-extrapolation
 <hr>        <LI>If mle=4 IMach likelihood corresponds to no inter-extrapolation, thus biasing the results.
         <LI>If mle=5 IMach likelihood corresponds to no inter-extrapolation, and
 <h2><font color="#00006A">Your first example parameter file</font><a        before the correction of the Jackson's bug (avoid this). </LI></UL></LI></UL>
 href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach"></a><a name="uio"></a></h2>    <LI><B>weight=0</B> Provides the possibility of adding weights.
     <UL>
 <h2><a name="biaspar"></a>#Imach version 0.97b, June 2004,      <LI>If weight=0 no weights are included
 INED-EUROREVES </h2>      <LI>If weight=1 the maximisation integrates the weights which are in field
       <A href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach/doc/imach.htm#Weight">4</A>
 <p>This first line was a comment. Comments line start with a '#'.</p>    </LI></UL></LI></UL>
   <H4><FONT color=#ff0000>Covariates</FONT></H4>
 <h4><font color="#FF0000">First uncommented line</font></h4>  <P>Intercept and age are automatically included in the model. Additional
   covariates can be included with the command: </P><PRE>model=<EM>list of covariates</EM></PRE>
 <pre>title=1st_example datafile=data1.txt lastobs=8600 firstpass=1 lastpass=4</pre>  <UL>
     <LI>if<STRONG> model=. </STRONG>then no covariates are included
 <ul>    <LI>if <STRONG>model=V1</STRONG> the model includes the first covariate (field
     <li><b>title=</b> 1st_example is title of the run. </li>    2)
     <li><b>datafile=</b> data1.txt is the name of the data set.    <LI>if <STRONG>model=V2 </STRONG>the model includes the second covariate
         Our example is a six years follow-up survey. It consists    (field 3)
         in a baseline followed by 3 reinterviews. </li>    <LI>if <STRONG>model=V1+V2 </STRONG>the model includes the first and the
     <li><b>lastobs=</b> 8600 the program is able to run on a    second covariate (fields 2 and 3)
         subsample where the last observation number is lastobs.    <LI>if <STRONG>model=V1*V2 </STRONG>the model includes the product of the
         It can be set a bigger number than the real number of    first and the second covariate (fields 2 and 3)
         observations (e.g. 100000). In this example, maximisation    <LI>if <STRONG>model=V1+V1*age</STRONG> the model includes the product
         will be done on the 8600 first records. </li>    covariate*age </LI></UL>
     <li><b>firstpass=1</b> , <b>lastpass=4 </b>In case of more  <P>In this example, we have two covariates in the data file (fields 2 and 3).
         than two interviews in the survey, the program can be run  The number of covariates included in the data file between the id and the date
         on selected transitions periods. firstpass=1 means the  of birth is ncovcol=2 (it was named ncov in version prior to 0.8). If you have 3
         first interview included in the calculation is the  covariates in the datafile (fields 2, 3 and 4), you will set ncovcol=3. Then you
         baseline survey. lastpass=4 means that the information  can run the programme with a new parametrisation taking into account the third
         brought by the 4th interview is taken into account.</li>  covariate. For example, <STRONG>model=V1+V3 </STRONG>estimates a model with the
 </ul>  first and third covariates. More complicated models can be used, but this will
   take more time to converge. With a simple model (no covariates), the programme
 <p>&nbsp;</p>  estimates 8 parameters. Adding covariates increases the number of parameters :
   12 for <STRONG>model=V1, </STRONG>16 for <STRONG>model=V1+V1*age </STRONG>and 20
 <h4><a name="biaspar-2"><font color="#FF0000">Second uncommented  for <STRONG>model=V1+V2+V3.</STRONG></P>
 line</font></a></h4>  <H4><FONT color=#ff0000>Guess values for optimization</FONT><FONT color=#00006a>
   </FONT></H4>
 <pre>ftol=1.e-08 stepm=1 ncovcol=2 nlstate=2 ndeath=1 maxwav=4 mle=1 weight=0</pre>  <P>You must write the initial guess values of the parameters for optimization.
   The number of parameters, <EM>N</EM> depends on the number of absorbing states
 <ul>  and non-absorbing states and on the number of covariates in the model (ncovmodel). <BR><EM>N</EM> is
     <li><b>ftol=1e-8</b> Convergence tolerance on the function  given by the formula <EM>N</EM>=(<EM>nlstate</EM> +
         value in the maximisation of the likelihood. Choosing a  <EM>ndeath</EM>-1)*<EM>nlstate</EM>*<EM>ncovmodel</EM>&nbsp;. <BR><BR>Thus in
         correct value for ftol is difficult. 1e-8 is a correct  the simple case with 2 covariates in the model(the model is log (pij/pii) = aij + bij * age
         value for a 32 bits computer.</li>  where intercept and age are the two covariates), and 2 health states (1 for
     <li><b>stepm=1</b> Time unit in months for interpolation.  disability-free and 2 for disability) and 1 absorbing state (3), you must enter
         Examples:<ul>  8 initials values, a12, b12, a13, b13, a21, b21, a23, b23. You can start with
             <li>If stepm=1, the unit is a month </li>  zeros as in this example, but if you have a more precise set (for example from
             <li>If stepm=4, the unit is a trimester</li>  an earlier run) you can enter it and it will speed up the convergence<BR>Each of the four
             <li>If stepm=12, the unit is a year </li>  lines starts with indices "ij": <B>ij aij bij</B> </P>
             <li>If stepm=24, the unit is two years</li>  <BLOCKQUOTE><PRE># Guess values of aij and bij in log (pij/pii) = aij + bij * age
             <li>... </li>  
         </ul>  
     </li>  
     <li><b>ncovcol=2</b> Number of covariate columns included in the  
         datafile before the column of the date of birth. You can have  
 covariates that won't necessary be used during the  
         run. It is not the number of covariates that will be  
         specified by the model. The 'model' syntax describes the  
         covariates to be taken into account during the run. </li>  
     <li><b>nlstate=2</b> Number of non-absorbing (alive) states.  
         Here we have two alive states: disability-free is coded 1  
         and disability is coded 2. </li>  
     <li><b>ndeath=1</b> Number of absorbing states. The absorbing  
         state death is coded 3. </li>  
     <li><b>maxwav=4</b> Number of waves in the datafile.</li>  
     <li><a name="mle"><b>mle</b></a><b>=1</b> Option for the  
         Maximisation Likelihood Estimation. <ul>  
             <li>If mle=1 the program does the maximisation and  
                 the calculation of health expectancies </li>  
             <li>If mle=0 the program only does the calculation of  
                 the health expectancies and other indices and graphs  
 but without the maximization.. </li>  
                There also other possible values:  
           <ul>  
             <li>If mle=-1 you get a template which can be useful if  
 your model is complex with many covariates.</li>  
             <li> If mle=-3 IMaCh computes the mortality but without  
             any health status (May 2004)</li> <li>If mle=2 IMach  
             likelihood corresponds to a linear interpolation</li> <li>  
             If mle=3 IMach likelihood corresponds to an exponential  
             inter-extrapolation</li>  
             <li> If mle=4 IMach likelihood  
             corresponds to no inter-extrapolation, and thus biasing  
             the results. </li>  
             <li> If mle=5 IMach likelihood  
             corresponds to no inter-extrapolation, and before the  
             correction of the Jackson's bug (avoid this).</li>  
             </ul>  
         </ul>  
     </li>  
     <li><b>weight=0</b> Possibility to add weights. <ul>  
             <li>If weight=0 no weights are included </li>  
             <li>If weight=1 the maximisation integrates the  
                 weights which are in field <a href="#Weight">4</a></li>  
         </ul>  
     </li>  
 </ul>  
   
 <h4><font color="#FF0000">Covariates</font></h4>  
   
 <p>Intercept and age are systematically included in the model.  
 Additional covariates can be included with the command: </p>  
   
 <pre>model=<em>list of covariates</em></pre>  
   
 <ul>  
     <li>if<strong> model=. </strong>then no covariates are  
         included</li>  
     <li>if <strong>model=V1</strong> the model includes the first  
         covariate (field 2)</li>  
     <li>if <strong>model=V2 </strong>the model includes the  
         second covariate (field 3)</li>  
     <li>if <strong>model=V1+V2 </strong>the model includes the  
         first and the second covariate (fields 2 and 3)</li>  
     <li>if <strong>model=V1*V2 </strong>the model includes the  
         product of the first and the second covariate (fields 2  
         and 3)</li>  
     <li>if <strong>model=V1+V1*age</strong> the model includes  
         the product covariate*age</li>  
 </ul>  
   
 <p>In this example, we have two covariates in the data file  
 (fields 2 and 3). The number of covariates included in the data  
 file between the id and the date of birth is ncovcol=2 (it was  
 named ncov in version prior to 0.8). If you have 3 covariates in  
 the datafile (fields 2, 3 and 4), you will set ncovcol=3. Then  
 you can run the programme with a new parametrisation taking into  
 account the third covariate. For example, <strong>model=V1+V3 </strong>estimates  
 a model with the first and third covariates. More complicated  
 models can be used, but it will takes more time to converge. With  
 a simple model (no covariates), the programme estimates 8  
 parameters. Adding covariates increases the number of parameters  
 : 12 for <strong>model=V1, </strong>16 for <strong>model=V1+V1*age  
 </strong>and 20 for <strong>model=V1+V2+V3.</strong></p>  
   
 <h4><font color="#FF0000">Guess values for optimization</font><font  
 color="#00006A"> </font></h4>  
   
 <p>You must write the initial guess values of the parameters for  
 optimization. The number of parameters, <em>N</em> depends on the  
 number of absorbing states and non-absorbing states and on the  
 number of covariates. <br>  
 <em>N</em> is given by the formula <em>N</em>=(<em>nlstate</em> +  
 <em>ndeath</em>-1)*<em>nlstate</em>*<em>ncovmodel</em>&nbsp;. <br>  
 <br>  
 Thus in the simple case with 2 covariates (the model is log  
 (pij/pii) = aij + bij * age where intercept and age are the two  
 covariates), and 2 health degrees (1 for disability-free and 2  
 for disability) and 1 absorbing state (3), you must enter 8  
 initials values, a12, b12, a13, b13, a21, b21, a23, b23. You can  
 start with zeros as in this example, but if you have a more  
 precise set (for example from an earlier run) you can enter it  
 and it will speed up them<br>  
 Each of the four lines starts with indices &quot;ij&quot;: <b>ij  
 aij bij</b> </p>  
   
 <blockquote>  
     <pre># Guess values of aij and bij in log (pij/pii) = aij + bij * age  
 12 -14.155633  0.110794  12 -14.155633  0.110794
 13  -7.925360  0.032091  13  -7.925360  0.032091
 21  -1.890135 -0.029473  21  -1.890135 -0.029473
 23  -6.234642  0.022315 </pre>  23  -6.234642  0.022315 </PRE></BLOCKQUOTE>
 </blockquote>  <P>or, to simplify (in most of cases it converges but there is no warranty!):
   </P>
 <p>or, to simplify (in most of cases it converges but there is no  <BLOCKQUOTE><PRE>12 0.0 0.0
 warranty!): </p>  
   
 <blockquote>  
     <pre>12 0.0 0.0  
 13 0.0 0.0  13 0.0 0.0
 21 0.0 0.0  21 0.0 0.0
 23 0.0 0.0</pre>  23 0.0 0.0</PRE></BLOCKQUOTE>
 </blockquote>  <P>In order to speed up the convergence you can make a first run with a large
   stepm i.e stepm=12 or 24 and then decrease the stepm until stepm=1 month. If
 <p>In order to speed up the convergence you can make a first run  newstepm is the new shorter stepm and stepm can be expressed as a multiple of
 with a large stepm i.e stepm=12 or 24 and then decrease the stepm  newstepm, like newstepm=n stepm, then the following approximation holds: </P><PRE>aij(stepm) = aij(n . stepm) - ln(n)
 until stepm=1 month. If newstepm is the new shorter stepm and  </PRE>
 stepm can be expressed as a multiple of newstepm, like newstepm=n  <P>and </P><PRE>bij(stepm) = bij(n . stepm) .</PRE>
 stepm, then the following approximation holds: </p>  <P>For example if you already ran with stepm=6 (a 6 months interval) and got:<BR></P><PRE># Parameters
   
 <pre>aij(stepm) = aij(n . stepm) - ln(n)  
 </pre>  
   
 <p>and </p>  
   
 <pre>bij(stepm) = bij(n . stepm) .</pre>  
   
 <p>For example if you already ran for a 6 months interval and  
 got:<br>  
 </p>  
   
 <pre># Parameters  
 12 -13.390179  0.126133  12 -13.390179  0.126133
 13  -7.493460  0.048069  13  -7.493460  0.048069
 21   0.575975 -0.041322  21   0.575975 -0.041322
 23  -4.748678  0.030626  23  -4.748678  0.030626
 </pre>  </PRE>
   <P>Then you now want to get the monthly estimates, you can guess the aij by
 <p>If you now want to get the monthly estimates, you can guess  subtracting ln(6)= 1.7917<BR>and running using<BR></P><PRE>12 -15.18193847  0.126133
 the aij by substracting ln(6)= 1,7917<br>  
 and running<br>  
 </p>  
   
 <pre>12 -15.18193847  0.126133  
 13 -9.285219469  0.048069  13 -9.285219469  0.048069
 21 -1.215784469 -0.041322  21 -1.215784469 -0.041322
 23 -6.540437469  0.030626  23 -6.540437469  0.030626
 </pre>  </PRE>
   <P>and get<BR></P><PRE>12 -15.029768 0.124347
 <p>and get<br>  
 </p>  
   
 <pre>12 -15.029768 0.124347  
 13 -8.472981 0.036599  13 -8.472981 0.036599
 21 -1.472527 -0.038394  21 -1.472527 -0.038394
 23 -6.553602 0.029856  23 -6.553602 0.029856
   
 which is closer to the results. The approximation is probably useful  <P>which is closer to the results. The approximation is probably useful
 only for very small intervals and we don't have enough experience to  only for very small intervals and we don't have enough experience to
 know if you will speed up the convergence or not.  know if you will speed up the convergence or not.<BR></P>
 </pre>  </PRE><PRE>         -ln(12)= -2.484
   
 <pre>         -ln(12)= -2.484  
  -ln(6/1)=-ln(6)= -1.791   -ln(6/1)=-ln(6)= -1.791
  -ln(3/1)=-ln(3)= -1.0986   -ln(3/1)=-ln(3)= -1.0986
 -ln(12/6)=-ln(2)= -0.693  -ln(12/6)=-ln(2)= -0.693
 </pre>  </PRE>In version 0.9 and higher you can still have valuable results even if your
   stepm parameter is bigger than a month. The idea is to run with bigger stepm in
 In version 0.9 and higher you can still have valuable results even if  order to have a quicker convergence at the price of a small bias. Once you know
 your stepm parameter is bigger than a month. The idea is to run with  which model you want to fit, you can put stepm=1 and wait hours or days to get
 bigger stepm in order to have a quicker convergence at the price of a  the convergence! To get unbiased results even with large stepm we introduce the
 small bias. Once you know which model you want to fit, you can put  idea of pseudo likelihood by interpolating two exact likelihoods. In
 stepm=1 and wait hours or days to get the convergence!  more detail:
   <P>If the interval of <EM>d</EM> months between two waves is not a multiple of
 To get unbiased results even with large stepm we introduce the idea of  'stepm', but is between <EM>(n-1) stepm</EM> and <EM>n stepm</EM> then
 pseudo likelihood by interpolating two exact likelihoods. Let us  both exact likelihoods are computed (the contribution to the likelihood at <EM>n
 detail this:  stepm</EM> requires one matrix product more) (let us remember that we are
 <p>  modelling the probability to be observed in a particular state after <EM>d</EM>
 If the interval of <em>d</em> months between two waves is not a  months being observed at a particular state at 0). The distance, (<EM>bh</EM> in
 mutliple of 'stepm', but is comprised between <em>(n-1) stepm</em> and  the program), from the month of interview to the rounded date of <EM>n
 <em>n stepm</em> then both exact likelihoods are computed (the  stepm</EM> is computed. It can be negative (interview occurs before <EM>n
 contribution to the likelihood at <em>n stepm</em> requires one matrix  stepm</EM>) or positive if the interview occurs after <EM>n stepm</EM> (and
 product more) (let us remember that we are modelling the probability  before <EM>(n+1)stepm</EM>). <BR>Then the final contribution to the total
 to be observed in a particular state after <em>d</em> months being  likelihood is a weighted average of these two exact likelihoods at <EM>n
 observed at a particular state at 0). The distance, (<em>bh</em> in  stepm</EM> (out) and at <EM>(n-1)stepm</EM>(savm). We did not want to compute
 the program), from the month of interview to the rounded date of <em>n  the third likelihood at <EM>(n+1)stepm</EM> because it is too costly in time, so
 stepm</em> is computed. It can be negative (interview occurs before  we used an extrapolation if <EM>bh</EM> is positive. <BR>The formula
 <em>n stepm</em>) or positive if the interview occurs after <em>n  for the inter/extrapolation may vary according to the value of parameter mle: <PRE>mle=1          lli= log((1.+bbh)*out[s1][s2]- bbh*savm[s1][s2]); /* linear interpolation */
 stepm</em> (and before <em>(n+1)stepm</em>).   
 <br>  mle=2   lli= (savm[s1][s2]&gt;(double)1.e-8 ? \
 Then the final contribution to the total likelihood is a weighted  
 average of these two exact likelihoods at <em>n stepm</em> (out) and  
 at <em>(n-1)stepm</em>(savm). We did not want to compute the third  
 likelihood at <em>(n+1)stepm</em> because it is too costly in time, so  
 we used an extrapolation if <em>bh</em> is positive.  <br> Formula of  
 inter/extrapolation may vary according to the value of parameter mle:  
 <pre>  
 mle=1     lli= log((1.+bbh)*out[s1][s2]- bbh*savm[s1][s2]); /* linear interpolation */  
   
 mle=2   lli= (savm[s1][s2]>(double)1.e-8 ? \  
           log((1.+bbh)*out[s1][s2]- bbh*(savm[s1][s2])): \            log((1.+bbh)*out[s1][s2]- bbh*(savm[s1][s2])): \
           log((1.+bbh)*out[s1][s2])); /* linear interpolation */            log((1.+bbh)*out[s1][s2])); /* linear interpolation */
 mle=3   lli= (savm[s1][s2]>1.e-8 ? \  mle=3   lli= (savm[s1][s2]&gt;1.e-8 ? \
           (1.+bbh)*log(out[s1][s2])- bbh*log(savm[s1][s2]): \            (1.+bbh)*log(out[s1][s2])- bbh*log(savm[s1][s2]): \
           log((1.+bbh)*out[s1][s2])); /* exponential inter-extrapolation */            log((1.+bbh)*out[s1][s2])); /* exponential inter-extrapolation */
   
 mle=4   lli=log(out[s[mw[mi][i]][i]][s[mw[mi+1][i]][i]]); /* No interpolation  */  mle=4   lli=log(out[s[mw[mi][i]][i]][s[mw[mi+1][i]][i]]); /* No interpolation  */
         no need to save previous likelihood into memory.          no need to save previous likelihood into memory.
 </pre>  </PRE>
 <p>  <P>If the death occurs between the first and second pass, and for example more
 If the death occurs between first and second pass, and for example  precisely between <EM>n stepm</EM> and <EM>(n+1)stepm</EM> the contribution of
 more precisely between <em>n stepm</em> and <em>(n+1)stepm</em> the  these people to the likelihood is simply the difference between the probability
 contribution of this people to the likelihood is simply the difference  of dying before <EM>n stepm</EM> and the probability of dying before
 between the probability of dying before <em>n stepm</em> and the  <EM>(n+1)stepm</EM>. There was a bug in version 0.8 and death was treated as any
 probability of dying before <em>(n+1)stepm</em>. There was a bug in  other state, i.e. as if it was an observed death at second pass. This was not
 version 0.8 and death was treated as any other state, i.e. as if it  precise but correct, although when information on the precise month of
 was an observed death at second pass. This was not precise but  death came (death occuring prior to second pass) we did not change the
 correct, but when information on the precise month of death came  likelihood accordingly. We thank Chris Jackson for correcting it. In earlier
 (death occuring prior to second pass) we did not change the likelihood  
 accordingly. Thanks to Chris Jackson for correcting us. In earlier  
 versions (fortunately before first publication) the total mortality  versions (fortunately before first publication) the total mortality
 was overestimated (people were dying too early) of about 10%. Version  was thus overestimated (people were dying too early) by about 10%. Version
 0.95 and higher are correct.  0.95 and higher are correct.
   
 <p> Our suggested choice is mle=1 . If stepm=1 there is no difference  
 between various mle options (methods of interpolation). If stepm is  
 big, like 12 or 24 or 48 and mle=4 (no interpolation) the bias may be  
 very important if the mean duration between two waves is not a  
 multiple of stepm. See the appendix in our main publication concerning  
 the sine curve of biases.  
    
   
 <h4><font color="#FF0000">Guess values for computing variances</font></h4>  
   
 <p>These values are output by the maximisation of the likelihood <a  <P>Our suggested choice is mle=1 . If stepm=1 there is no difference between
 href="#mle">mle</a>=1. These valuse can be used as an input of a  various mle options (methods of interpolation). If stepm is big, like 12 or 24
 second run in order to get the various output data files (Health  or 48 and mle=4 (no interpolation) the bias may be very important if the mean
 expectancies, period prevalence etc.) and figures without rerunning  duration between two waves is not a multiple of stepm. See the appendix in our
 the long maximisation phase (mle=0). </p>  main publication concerning the sine curve of biases.
   <H4><FONT color=#ff0000>Guess values for computing variances</FONT></H4>
 <p>These 'scales' are small values needed for the computing of  <P>These values are output by the maximisation of the likelihood <A
 numerical derivatives. These derivatives are used to compute the  href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach/doc/imach.htm#mle">mle</A>=1 and
 hessian matrix of the parameters, that is the inverse of the  can be used as an input for a second run in order to get the various output data
 covariance matrix. They are often used for estimating variances and  files (Health expectancies, period prevalence etc.) and figures without
 confidence intervals. Each line consists in indices &quot;ij&quot;  rerunning the long maximisation phase (mle=0). </P>
 followed by the initial scales (zero to simplify) associated with aij  <P>The 'scales' are small values needed for the computing of numerical
 and bij. </p>  derivatives. These derivatives are used to compute the hessian matrix of the
   parameters, that is the inverse of the covariance matrix. They are often used
 <ul>  for estimating variances and confidence intervals. Each line consists of indices
     <li>If mle=1 you can enter zeros:</li>  "ij" followed by the initial scales (zero to simplify) associated with aij and
     <li><blockquote>  bij. </P>
             <pre># Scales (for hessian or gradient estimation)  <UL>
     <LI>If mle=1 you can enter zeros:
     <LI>
     <BLOCKQUOTE><PRE># Scales (for hessian or gradient estimation)
 12 0. 0.  12 0. 0.
 13 0. 0.  13 0. 0.
 21 0. 0.  21 0. 0.
 23 0. 0. </pre>  23 0. 0. </PRE></BLOCKQUOTE>
         </blockquote>    <LI>If mle=0 (no maximisation of Likelihood) you must enter a covariance
     </li>    matrix (usually obtained from an earlier run). </LI></UL>
     <li>If mle=0 (no maximisation of Likelihood) you must enter a covariance matrix (usually  <H4><FONT color=#ff0000>Covariance matrix of parameters</FONT></H4>
         obtained from an earlier run).</li>  <P>The covariance matrix is output if <A
 </ul>  href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach/doc/imach.htm#mle">mle</A>=1. But it can be
   also be used as an input to get the various output data files (Health
 <h4><font color="#FF0000">Covariance matrix of parameters</font></h4>  expectancies, period prevalence etc.) and figures without rerunning
   the maximisation phase (mle=0). <BR>Each line starts with indices
 <p>The covariance matrix is output if <a href="#mle">mle</a>=1. But it can be  "ijk" followed by the covariances  between aij and bij:<BR>
 also used as an input to get the various output data files (Health  </P><PRE>   121 Var(a12)
 expectancies, period prevalence etc.) and figures without  
 rerunning the maximisation phase (mle=0). <br>  
 Each line starts with indices &quot;ijk&quot; followed by the  
 covariances between aij and bij:<br>  
 </p>  
   
 <pre>  
    121 Var(a12)  
    122 Cov(b12,a12)  Var(b12)     122 Cov(b12,a12)  Var(b12)
           ...            ...
    232 Cov(b23,a12)  Cov(b23,b12) ... Var (b23) </pre>     232 Cov(b23,a12)  Cov(b23,b12) ... Var (b23) </PRE>
   <UL>
 <ul>    <LI>If mle=1 you can enter zeros.
     <li>If mle=1 you can enter zeros. </li>    <LI><PRE># Covariance matrix
     <li><pre># Covariance matrix  
 121 0.  121 0.
 122 0. 0.  122 0. 0.
 131 0. 0. 0.  131 0. 0. 0.
Line 634  covariances between aij and bij:<br> Line 470  covariances between aij and bij:<br>
 211 0. 0. 0. 0. 0.  211 0. 0. 0. 0. 0.
 212 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0.  212 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0.
 231 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0.  231 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0.
 232 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0.</pre>  232 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0.</PRE>
     </li>    <LI>If mle=0 you must enter a covariance matrix (usually obtained from an
     <li>If mle=0 you must enter a covariance matrix (usually    earlier run). </LI></UL>
         obtained from an earlier run). </li>  <H4><FONT color=#ff0000>Age range for calculation of stationary prevalences and
 </ul>  health expectancies</FONT></H4><PRE>agemin=70 agemax=100 bage=50 fage=100</PRE>
   <P>Once we obtained the estimated parameters, the program is able to calculate
 <h4><font color="#FF0000">Age range for calculation of stationary  period prevalence, transitions probabilities and life expectancies at any age.
 prevalences and health expectancies</font></h4>  Choice of the age range is useful for extrapolation. In this example,
   the age of people interviewed varies from 69 to 102 and the model is
 <pre>agemin=70 agemax=100 bage=50 fage=100</pre>  estimated using their exact ages. But if you are interested in the
   age-specific period prevalence you can start the simulation at an
 <p>  exact age like 70 and stop at 100. Then the program  will draw at
 Once we obtained the estimated parameters, the program is able  least two curves describing the forecasted prevalences of two cohorts,
 to calculate period prevalence, transitions probabilities  one for healthy people at age 70 and the second for disabled people at
 and life expectancies at any age. Choice of age range is useful  the same initial age. And according to the mixing property
 for extrapolation. In this example, age of people interviewed varies  (ergodicity) and because of recovery, both prevalences will tend to be
 from 69 to 102 and the model is estimated using their exact ages. But  identical at later ages. Thus if you want to compute the prevalence at
 if you are interested in the age-specific period prevalence you can  age 70, you should enter a lower agemin value.
 start the simulation at an exact age like 70 and stop at 100. Then the  <P>Setting bage=50 (begin age) and fage=100 (final age), let the program compute
 program will draw at least two curves describing the forecasted  life expectancy from age 'bage' to age 'fage'. As we use a model, we can
 prevalences of two cohorts, one for healthy people at age 70 and the second  interessingly compute life expectancy on a wider age range than the age range
 for disabled people at the same initial age. And according to the  from the data. But the model can be rather wrong on much larger intervals.
 mixing property (ergodicity) and because of recovery, both prevalences  Program is limited to around 120 for upper age! <PRE></PRE>
 will tend to be identical at later ages. Thus if you want to compute  <UL>
 the prevalence at age 70, you should enter a lower agemin value.    <LI><B>agemin=</B> Minimum age for calculation of the period prevalence
     <LI><B>agemax=</B> Maximum age for calculation of the period prevalence
 <p>    <LI><B>bage=</B> Minimum age for calculation of the health expectancies
 Setting bage=50 (begin age) and fage=100 (final age), let    <LI><B>fage=</B> Maximum age for calculation of the health expectancies
 the program compute life expectancy from age 'bage' to age  </LI></UL>
 'fage'. As we use a model, we can interessingly compute life  <H4><A name=Computing><FONT color=#ff0000>Computing</FONT></A><FONT
 expectancy on a wider age range than the age range from the data.  color=#ff0000> the cross-sectional prevalence</FONT></H4><PRE>begin-prev-date=1/1/1984 end-prev-date=1/6/1988 estepm=1</PRE>
 But the model can be rather wrong on much larger intervals.  <P>Statements 'begin-prev-date' and 'end-prev-date' allow the user to
 Program is limited to around 120 for upper age!  select the period in which the observed prevalences in each state. In
 </pre>  this example, the prevalences are calculated on data survey collected
   between 1 January 1984 and 1 June 1988. </P>
 <ul>  <UL>
     <li><b>agemin=</b> Minimum age for calculation of the    <LI><STRONG>begin-prev-date= </STRONG>Starting date (day/month/year)
         period prevalence </li>    <LI><STRONG>end-prev-date= </STRONG>Final date (day/month/year)
     <li><b>agemax=</b> Maximum age for calculation of the    <LI><STRONG>estepm= </STRONG>Unit (in months).We compute the life expectancy
         period prevalence </li>    from trapezoids spaced every estepm months. This is mainly to measure the
     <li><b>bage=</b> Minimum age for calculation of the health    difference between two models: for example if stepm=24 months pijx are given
         expectancies </li>    only every 2 years and by summing them we are calculating an estimate of the
     <li><b>fage=</b> Maximum age for calculation of the health    Life Expectancy assuming a linear progression inbetween and thus
         expectancies </li>    overestimating or underestimating according to the curvature of the survival
 </ul>    function. If, for the same date, we estimate the model with stepm=1 month, we
     can keep estepm to 24 months to compare the new estimate of Life expectancy
 <h4><a name="Computing"><font color="#FF0000">Computing</font></a><font    with the same linear hypothesis. A more precise result, taking into account a
 color="#FF0000"> the cross-sectional prevalence</font></h4>    more precise curvature will be obtained if estepm is as small as stepm.
   </LI></UL>
 <pre>begin-prev-date=1/1/1984 end-prev-date=1/6/1988 estepm=1</pre>  <H4><FONT color=#ff0000>Population- or status-based health
   expectancies</FONT></H4><PRE>pop_based=0</PRE>
 <p>  <P>The program computes status-based health expectancies, i.e health
 Statements 'begin-prev-date' and 'end-prev-date' allow to  expectancies which depend on the initial health state. If you are healthy, your
 select the period in which we calculate the observed prevalences  healthy life expectancy (e11) is higher than if you were disabled (e21, with e11
 in each state. In this example, the prevalences are calculated on  &gt; e21).<BR>To compute a healthy life expectancy 'independent' of the initial
 data survey collected between 1 january 1984 and 1 june 1988.  status we have to weight e11 and e21 according to the probability of
 </p>  being in each state at initial age which correspond to the proportions
   of people in each health state (cross-sectional prevalences).
 <ul>  <P>We could also compute e12 and e12 and get e.2 by weighting them according to
     <li><strong>begin-prev-date= </strong>Starting date  the observed cross-sectional prevalences at initial age.
         (day/month/year)</li>  <P>In a similar way we could compute the total life expectancy by summing e.1
     <li><strong>end-prev-date= </strong>Final date  and e.2 . <BR>The main difference between 'population based' and 'implied' or
         (day/month/year)</li>  'period' is in the weights used. 'Usually', cross-sectional prevalences of
     <li><strong>estepm= </strong>Unit (in months).We compute the  disability are higher than period prevalences particularly at old ages. This is
         life expectancy from trapezoids spaced every estepm  true if the country is improving its health system by teaching people how to
         months. This is mainly to measure the difference between  prevent disability by promoting better screening, for example of people
         two models: for example if stepm=24 months pijx are given  needing cataract surgery. Then the proportion of disabled people at
         only every 2 years and by summing them we are calculating  age 90 will be lower than the current observed proportion.
         an estimate of the Life Expectancy assuming a linear  <P>Thus a better Health Expectancy and even a better Life Expectancy value is
         progression inbetween and thus overestimating or  given by forecasting not only the current lower mortality at all ages but also a
         underestimating according to the curvature of the  lower incidence of disability and higher recovery. <BR>Using the period
         survival function. If, for the same date, we estimate the  prevalences as weight instead of the cross-sectional prevalences we are
         model with stepm=1 month, we can keep estepm to 24 months  computing indices which are more specific to the current situations and
         to compare the new estimate of Life expectancy with the  therefore more useful to predict improvements or regressions in the future as to
         same linear hypothesis. A more precise result, taking  compare different policies in various countries.
         into account a more precise curvature will be obtained if  <UL>
         estepm is as small as stepm.</li>    <LI><STRONG>popbased= 0 </STRONG>Health expectancies are computed at each age
 </ul>    from period prevalences 'expected' at this initial age.
     <LI><STRONG>popbased= 1 </STRONG>Health expectancies are computed at each age
 <h4><font color="#FF0000">Population- or status-based health    from cross-sectional 'observed' prevalence at the initial age. As all the
 expectancies</font></h4>    population is not observed at the same exact date we define a short period
     where the observed prevalence can be computed as follows:<BR>we simply sum all people
 <pre>pop_based=0</pre>    surveyed within these two exact dates who belong to a particular age group
     (single year) at the date of interview and are in a particular health state.
 <p>The program computes status-based health expectancies, i.e health    Then it is easy to get the proportion of people in a particular
 expectancies which depend on the initial health state.  If you are    health state as a percentage of all people of the same age group.<BR>If both dates are spaced and are
 healthy, your healthy life expectancy (e11) is higher than if you were    covering two waves or more, people being interviewed twice or more are counted
 disabled (e21, with e11 &gt; e21).<br> To compute a healthy life    twice or more. The program takes into account the selection of individuals
 expectancy 'independent' of the initial status we have to weight e11    interviewed between firstpass and lastpass too (we don't know if
 and e21 according to the probability to be in each state at initial    this is useful). </LI></UL>
 age which are corresponding to the proportions of people in each health  <H4><FONT color=#ff0000>Prevalence forecasting (Experimental)</FONT></H4><PRE>starting-proj-date=1/1/1989 final-proj-date=1/1/1992 mov_average=0 </PRE>
 state (cross-sectional prevalences).<p>  <P>Prevalence and population projections are only available if the interpolation
   unit is a month, i.e. stepm=1 and if there are no covariate. The programme
 We could also compute e12 and e12 and get e.2 by weighting them  estimates the prevalence in each state at a precise date expressed in
 according to the observed cross-sectional prevalences at initial age.  day/month/year. The programme computes one forecasted prevalence a year from a
 <p> In a similar way we could compute the total life expectancy by  starting date (1 January 1989 in this example) to a final date (1 January
 summing e.1 and e.2 .  1992). The statement mov_average allows computation of smoothed forecasted
 <br>  prevalences with a five-age moving average centered at the mid-age of the
 The main difference between 'population based' and 'implied' or  fiveyear-age period. <BR></P>
 'period' consists in the weights used. 'Usually', cross-sectional  <H4><FONT color=#ff0000>Population forecasting (Experimental)</FONT></H4>
 prevalences of disability are higher than period prevalences  <UL>
 particularly at old ages. This is true if the country is improving its    <LI><STRONG>starting-proj-date</STRONG>= starting date (day/month/year) of
 health system by teaching people how to prevent disability as by    forecasting
 promoting better screening, for example of people needing cataracts    <LI><STRONG>final-proj-date= </STRONG>final date (day/month/year) of
 surgeryand for many unknown reasons that this program may help to    forecasting
 discover. Then the proportion of disabled people at age 90 will be    <LI><STRONG>mov_average</STRONG>= smoothing with a five-age moving average
 lower than the current observed proportion.    centered at the mid-age of the fiveyear-age period. The command<STRONG>
 <p>    mov_average</STRONG> takes value 1 if the prevalences are smoothed and 0
 Thus a better Health Expectancy and even a better Life Expectancy    otherwise. </LI></UL>
 value is given by forecasting not only the current lower mortality at  <UL type=disc>
 all ages but also a lower incidence of disability and higher recovery.    <LI><B>popforecast= 0 </B>Option for population forecasting. If popforecast=1,
 <br> Using the period prevalences as weight instead of the    the programme does the forecasting<B>.</B>
 cross-sectional prevalences we are computing indices which are more    <LI><B>popfile= </B>name of the population file
 specific to the current situations and therefore more useful to    <LI><B>popfiledate=</B> date of the population population
 predict improvements or regressions in the future as to compare    <LI><B>last-popfiledate</B>= date of the last population projection&nbsp;
 different policies in various countries.  </LI></UL>
   <HR>
 <ul>  
     <li><strong>popbased= 0 </strong>Health expectancies are computed  <H2><A name=running></A><FONT color=#00006a>Running Imach with this
     at each age from period prevalences 'expected' at this initial  example</FONT></H2>
     age.</li>  <P>We assume that you have already typed your <A
     <li><strong>popbased= 1 </strong>Health expectancies are  href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach/doc/biaspar.imach">1st_example parameter
     computed at each age from cross-sectional 'observed' prevalence at  file</A> as explained <A
     this initial age. As all the population is not observed at the  href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach/doc/imach.htm#biaspar">above</A>. To run
     same exact date we define a short period were the observed  the program under Windows you should either: </P>
     prevalence can be computed.<br>  <UL>
     <LI>click on the imach.exe icon and either:
  We simply sum all people surveyed within these two exact dates    <UL>
  who belong to a particular age group (single year) at the date of      <LI>enter the name of the parameter file which is for example
  interview and being in a particular health state. Then it is easy to      <TT>C:\home\myname\lsoa\biaspar.imach</TT>
 get the proportion of people of a particular health status among all      <LI>or locate the biaspar.imach icon in your folder such as
 people of the same age group.<br>      <TT>C:\home\myname\lsoa</TT> and drag it, with your mouse, on the already
       open imach window. </LI></UL>
 If both dates are spaced and are covering two waves or more, people    <LI>With version (0.97b) if you ran setup at installation, Windows is supposed
 being interviewed twice or more are counted twice or more. The program    to understand the ".imach" extension and you can right click the biaspar.imach
 takes into account the selection of individuals interviewed between    icon and either edit with wordpad (better than notepad) the parameter file or
 firstpass and lastpass too (we don't know if it can be useful).    execute it with IMaCh. </LI></UL>
 </li>  <P>The time to converge depends on the step unit used (1 month is more
 </ul>  precise but more cpu time consuming), on the number of cases, and on the number of
   variables (covariates).
 <h4><font color="#FF0000">Prevalence forecasting (Experimental)</font></h4>  <P>The program outputs many files. Most of them are files which will be plotted
   for better understanding. </P>To run under Linux is mostly the same.
 <pre>starting-proj-date=1/1/1989 final-proj-date=1/1/1992 mov_average=0 </pre>  <P>It is no more difficult to run IMaCh on a MacIntosh.
   <HR>
 <p>Prevalence and population projections are only available if  
 the interpolation unit is a month, i.e. stepm=1 and if there are  <H2><A name=output><FONT color=#00006a>Output of the program and graphs</FONT>
 no covariate. The programme estimates the prevalence in each  </A></H2>
 state at a precise date expressed in day/month/year. The  <P>Once the optimization is finished (once the convergence is reached), many
 programme computes one forecasted prevalence a year from a  tables and graphics are produced.
 starting date (1 january of 1989 in this example) to a final date  <P>The IMaCh program will create a subdirectory with the same name as your
 (1 january 1992). The statement mov_average allows to compute  parameter file (here mypar) where all the tables and figures will be
 smoothed forecasted prevalences with a five-age moving average  stored.<BR>Important files like the log file and the output parameter file
 centered at the mid-age of the five-age period. <br>  (the latter contains the maximum likelihood estimates) are stored at
 </p>  the main level not in this subdirectory. Files with extension .log and
   .txt can be edited with a standard editor like wordpad or notepad or
 <h4><font color="#FF0000">Population forecasting (Experimental)</font></h4>  even can be viewed with a browser like Internet Explorer or Mozilla.
   <P>The main html file is also named with the same name <A
 <ul>  href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach/doc/biaspar.htm">biaspar.htm</A>. You can
     <li><strong>starting-proj-date</strong>= starting date  click on it by holding your shift key in order to open it in another window
         (day/month/year) of forecasting</li>  (Windows).
     <li><strong>final-proj-date= </strong>final date  <P>Our grapher is Gnuplot, an interactive plotting program (GPL) which can
         (day/month/year) of forecasting</li>  also work in batch mode. A gnuplot reference manual is available <A
     <li><strong>mov_average</strong>= smoothing with a five-age  href="http://www.gnuplot.info/">here</A>. <BR>When the run is finished, and in
         moving average centered at the mid-age of the five-age  order that the window doesn't disappear, the user should enter a character like
         period. The command<strong> mov_average</strong> takes  <TT>q</TT> for quitting. <BR>These characters are:<BR></P>
         value 1 if the prevalences are smoothed and 0 otherwise.</li>  <UL>
 </ul>    <LI>'e' for opening the main result html file <A
     href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach/doc/biaspar.htm"><STRONG>biaspar.htm</STRONG></A>
     file to edit the output files and graphs.
 <ul type="disc">    <LI>'g' to graph again
     <li><b>popforecast=    <LI>'c' to start again the program from the beginning.
         0 </b>Option for population forecasting. If    <LI>'q' for exiting. </LI></UL>The main gnuplot file is named
         popforecast=1, the programme does the forecasting<b>.</b></li>  <TT>biaspar.gp</TT> and can be edited (right click) and run again.
     <li><b>popfile=  <P>Gnuplot is easy and you can use it to make more complex graphs. Just click on
         </b>name of the population file</li>  gnuplot and type plot sin(x) to see how easy it is.
     <li><b>popfiledate=</b>  <H5><FONT size=4><STRONG>Results files </STRONG></FONT><BR><BR><FONT
         date of the population population</li>  color=#ec5e5e size=3><STRONG>- </STRONG></FONT><A
     <li><b>last-popfiledate</b>=  name="cross-sectional prevalence in each state"><FONT color=#ec5e5e
         date of the last population projection&nbsp;</li>  size=3><STRONG>cross-sectional prevalence in each state</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT
 </ul>  color=#ec5e5e size=3><STRONG> (and at first pass)</STRONG></FONT><B>: </B><A
   href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach/doc/biaspar/prbiaspar.txt"><B>biaspar/prbiaspar.txt</B></A><BR></H5>
 <hr>  <P>The first line is the title and displays each field of the file. First column
   corresponds to age. Fields 2 and 6 are the proportion of individuals in states 1
 <h2><a name="running"></a><font color="#00006A">Running Imach  and 2 respectively as observed at first exam. Others fields are the numbers of
 with this example</font></h2>  people in states 1, 2 or more. The number of columns increases if the number of
   states is higher than 2.<BR>The header of the file is </P><PRE># Age Prev(1) N(1) N Age Prev(2) N(2) N
 <p>We assume that you already typed your <a href="biaspar.imach">1st_example  
 parameter file</a> as explained <a href="#biaspar">above</a>.  
   
 To run the program under Windows you should either:  
 </p>  
   
 <ul>  
     <li>click on the imach.exe icon and either:  
       <ul>  
          <li>enter the name of the  
         parameter file which is for example <tt>  
 C:\home\myname\lsoa\biaspar.imach"</tt></li>  
     <li>or locate the biaspar.imach icon in your folder such as  
     <tt>C:\home\myname\lsoa</tt>  
     and drag it, with your mouse, on the already open imach window. </li>  
   </ul>  
   
  <li>With version (0.97b) if you ran setup at installation, Windows is  
  supposed to understand the &quot;.imach&quot; extension and you can  
  right click the biaspar.imach icon and either edit with wordpad  
  (better than notepad) the parameter file or execute it with  
  IMaCh. </li>  
 </ul>  
   
 <p>The time to converge depends on the step unit that you used (1  
 month is more precise but more cpu consuming), on the number of cases,  
 and on the number of variables (covariates).  
   
 <p>  
 The program outputs many files. Most of them are files which will be  
 plotted for better understanding.  
   
 </p>  
 To run under Linux it is mostly the same.  
 <p>  
 It is neither more difficult to run it under a MacIntosh.  
 <hr>  
   
 <h2><a name="output"><font color="#00006A">Output of the program  
 and graphs</font> </a></h2>  
   
 <p>Once the optimization is finished (once the convergence is  
 reached), many tables and graphics are produced.<p>  
 The IMaCh program will create a subdirectory of the same name as your  
 parameter file (here mypar) where all the tables and figures will be  
 stored.<br>  
   
 Important files like the log file and the output parameter file (which  
 contains the estimates of the maximisation) are stored at the main  
 level not in this subdirectory. File with extension .log and .txt can  
 be edited with a standard editor like wordpad or notepad or even can be  
 viewed with a browser like Internet Explorer or Mozilla.  
   
 <p> The main html file is also named with the same name <a  
 href="biaspar.htm">biaspar.htm</a>. You can click on it by holding  
 your shift key in order to open it in another window (Windows).  
 <p>  
  Our grapher is Gnuplot, it is an interactive plotting program (GPL) which  
  can also work in batch. A gnuplot reference manual is available <a  
  href="http://www.gnuplot.info/">here</a>. <br> When the run is  
  finished, and in order that the window doesn't disappear, the user  
  should enter a character like <tt>q</tt> for quitting. <br> These  
  characters are:<br>  
 </p>  
 <ul>  
     <li>'e' for opening the main result html file <a  
     href="biaspar.htm"><strong>biaspar.htm</strong></a> file to edit  
     the output files and graphs. </li>  
     <li>'g' to graph again</li>  
     <li>'c' to start again the program from the beginning.</li>  
     <li>'q' for exiting.</li>  
 </ul>  
   
 The main gnuplot file is named <tt>biaspar.gp</tt> and can be edited (right  
 click) and run again.  
 <p>Gnuplot is easy and you can use it to make more complex  
 graphs. Just click on gnuplot and type plot sin(x) to see how easy it  
 is.  
   
   
 <h5><font size="4"><strong>Results files </strong></font><br>  
 <br>  
 <font color="#EC5E5E" size="3"><strong>- </strong></font><a  
 name="cross-sectional prevalence in each state"><font color="#EC5E5E"  
 size="3"><strong>cross-sectional prevalence in each state</strong></font></a><font  
 color="#EC5E5E" size="3"><strong> (and at first pass)</strong></font><b>:  
 </b><a href="biaspar/prbiaspar.txt"><b>biaspar/prbiaspar.txt</b></a><br>  
 </h5>  
   
 <p>The first line is the title and displays each field of the  
 file. First column corresponds to age. Fields 2 and 6 are the  
 proportion of individuals in states 1 and 2 respectively as  
 observed at first exam. Others fields are the numbers of  
 people in states 1, 2 or more. The number of columns increases if  
 the number of states is higher than 2.<br>  
 The header of the file is </p>  
   
 <pre># Age Prev(1) N(1) N Age Prev(2) N(2) N  
 70 1.00000 631 631 70 0.00000 0 631  70 1.00000 631 631 70 0.00000 0 631
 71 0.99681 625 627 71 0.00319 2 627  71 0.99681 625 627 71 0.00319 2 627
 72 0.97125 1115 1148 72 0.02875 33 1148 </pre>  72 0.97125 1115 1148 72 0.02875 33 1148 </PRE>
   <P>It means that at age 70 (between 70 and 71), the prevalence in state 1 is
 <p>It means that at age 70 (between 70 and 71), the prevalence in state 1 is 1.000  1.000 and in state 2 is 0.00 . At age 71 the number of individuals in state 1 is
 and in state 2 is 0.00 . At age 71 the number of individuals in  625 and in state 2 is 2, hence the total number of people aged 71 is 625+2=627.
 state 1 is 625 and in state 2 is 2, hence the total number of  <BR></P>
 people aged 71 is 625+2=627. <br>  <H5><FONT color=#ec5e5e size=3><B>- Estimated parameters and covariance
 </p>  matrix</B></FONT><B>: </B><A
   href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach/doc/rbiaspar.txt"><B>rbiaspar.imach</B></A></H5>
 <h5><font color="#EC5E5E" size="3"><b>- Estimated parameters and  <P>This file contains all the maximisation results: </P><PRE> -2 log likelihood= 21660.918613445392
 covariance matrix</b></font><b>: </b><a href="rbiaspar.txt"><b>rbiaspar.imach</b></a></h5>  
   
 <p>This file contains all the maximisation results: </p>  
   
 <pre> -2 log likelihood= 21660.918613445392  
  Estimated parameters: a12 = -12.290174 b12 = 0.092161   Estimated parameters: a12 = -12.290174 b12 = 0.092161
                        a13 = -9.155590  b13 = 0.046627                         a13 = -9.155590  b13 = 0.046627
                        a21 = -2.629849  b21 = -0.022030                         a21 = -2.629849  b21 = -0.022030
Line 946  covariance matrix</b></font><b>: </b><a Line 679  covariance matrix</b></font><b>: </b><a
                     Var(b21) = 1.29229e-004                      Var(b21) = 1.29229e-004
                     Var(a23) = 4.48405e-001                      Var(a23) = 4.48405e-001
                     Var(b23) = 5.85631e-005                      Var(b23) = 5.85631e-005
  </pre>   </PRE>
   <P>By substitution of these parameters in the regression model, we obtain the
 <p>By substitution of these parameters in the regression model,  elementary transition probabilities:</P>
 we obtain the elementary transition probabilities:</p>  <P><IMG height=300
   src="Computing Health Expectancies using IMaCh_fichiers/pebiaspar11.png"
 <p><img src="biaspar/pebiaspar11.png" width="400" height="300"></p>  width=400></P>
   <H5><FONT color=#ec5e5e size=3><B>- Transition probabilities</B></FONT><B>:
 <h5><font color="#EC5E5E" size="3"><b>- Transition probabilities</b></font><b>:  </B><A
 </b><a href="biaspar/pijrbiaspar.txt"><b>biaspar/pijrbiaspar.txt</b></a></h5>  href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach/doc/biaspar/pijrbiaspar.txt"><B>biaspar/pijrbiaspar.txt</B></A></H5>
   <P>Here are the transitions probabilities Pij(x, x+nh). The second column is the
 <p>Here are the transitions probabilities Pij(x, x+nh). The second  starting age x (from age 95 to 65), the third is age (x+nh) and the others are
 column is the starting age x (from age 95 to 65), the third is age  the transition probabilities p11, p12, p13, p21, p22, p23. The first column
 (x+nh) and the others are the transition probabilities p11, p12, p13,  indicates the value of the covariate (without any other variable than age it is
 p21, p22, p23. The first column indicates the value of the covariate  equal to 1) For example, line 5 of the file is: </P><PRE>1 100 106 0.02655 0.17622 0.79722 0.01809 0.13678 0.84513 </PRE>
 (without any other variable than age it is equal to 1) For example, line 5 of the file  <P>and this means: </P><PRE>p11(100,106)=0.02655
 is: </p>  
   
 <pre>1 100 106 0.02655 0.17622 0.79722 0.01809 0.13678 0.84513 </pre>  
   
 <p>and this means: </p>  
   
 <pre>p11(100,106)=0.02655  
 p12(100,106)=0.17622  p12(100,106)=0.17622
 p13(100,106)=0.79722  p13(100,106)=0.79722
 p21(100,106)=0.01809  p21(100,106)=0.01809
 p22(100,106)=0.13678  p22(100,106)=0.13678
 p22(100,106)=0.84513 </pre>  p22(100,106)=0.84513 </PRE>
   <H5><FONT color=#ec5e5e size=3><B>- </B></FONT><A
 <h5><font color="#EC5E5E" size="3"><b>- </b></font><a  name="Period prevalence in each state"><FONT color=#ec5e5e size=3><B>Period
 name="Period prevalence in each state"><font color="#EC5E5E"  prevalence in each state</B></FONT></A><B>: </B><A
 size="3"><b>Period prevalence in each state</b></font></a><b>:  href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach/doc/biaspar/plrbiaspar.txt"><B>biaspar/plrbiaspar.txt</B></A></H5><PRE>#Prevalence
 </b><a href="biaspar/plrbiaspar.txt"><b>biaspar/plrbiaspar.txt</b></a></h5>  
   
 <pre>#Prevalence  
 #Age 1-1 2-2  #Age 1-1 2-2
   
 #************  #************
 70 0.90134 0.09866  70 0.90134 0.09866
 71 0.89177 0.10823  71 0.89177 0.10823
 72 0.88139 0.11861  72 0.88139 0.11861
 73 0.87015 0.12985 </pre>  73 0.87015 0.12985 </PRE>
   <P>At age 70 the period prevalence is 0.90134 in state 1 and 0.09866 in state 2.
 <p>At age 70 the period prevalence is 0.90134 in state 1 and 0.09866  This period prevalence differs from the cross-sectional prevalence and
 in state 2. This period prevalence differs from the cross-sectional  we explaining. The cross-sectional prevalence at age 70 results from
 prevalence. Here is the point. The cross-sectional prevalence at age  the incidence of disability, incidence of recovery and mortality which
 70 results from the incidence of disability, incidence of recovery and  occurred in the past for the cohort. Period prevalence results from a
 mortality which occurred in the past of the cohort.  Period prevalence  simulation with current incidences of disability, recovery and
 results from a simulation with current incidences of disability,  mortality estimated from this cross-longitudinal survey. It is a good
 recovery and mortality estimated from this cross-longitudinal  prediction of the prevalence in the future if "nothing changes in the
 survey. It is a good predictin of the prevalence in the  future". This is exactly what demographers do with a period life
 future if &quot;nothing changes in the future&quot;. This is exactly  table. Life expectancy is the expected mean survival time if current
 what demographers do with a period life table. Life expectancy is the  mortality rates (age-specific incidences of mortality) "remain
 expected mean survival time if current mortality rates (age-specific incidences  constant" in the future.
 of mortality) &quot;remain constant&quot; in the future. </p>  </P>
   <H5><FONT color=#ec5e5e size=3><B>- Standard deviation of period
 <h5><font color="#EC5E5E" size="3"><b>- Standard deviation of  prevalence</B></FONT><B>: </B><A
 period prevalence</b></font><b>: </b><a  href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach/doc/biaspar/vplrbiaspar.txt"><B>biaspar/vplrbiaspar.txt</B></A></H5>
 href="biaspar/vplrbiaspar.txt"><b>biaspar/vplrbiaspar.txt</b></a></h5>  <P>The period prevalence has to be compared with the cross-sectional prevalence.
   But both are statistical estimates and therefore have confidence intervals.
 <p>The period prevalence has to be compared with the cross-sectional  <BR>For the cross-sectional prevalence we generally need information on the
 prevalence. But both are statistical estimates and therefore  design of the surveys. It is usually not enough to consider the number of people
 have confidence intervals.  surveyed at a particular age and to estimate a Bernouilli confidence interval
 <br>For the cross-sectional prevalence we generally need information on  based on the prevalence at that age. But you can do it to have an idea of the
 the design of the surveys. It is usually not enough to consider the  randomness. At least you can get a visual appreciation of the randomness by
 number of people surveyed at a particular age and to estimate a  looking at the fluctuation over ages.
 Bernouilli confidence interval based on the prevalence at that  <P>For the period prevalence it is possible to estimate the confidence interval
 age. But you can do it to have an idea of the randomness. At least you  from the Hessian matrix (see the publication for details). We are supposing that
 can get a visual appreciation of the randomness by looking at the  the design of the survey will only alter the weight of each individual. IMaCh
 fluctuation over ages.  scales the weights of individuals-waves contributing to the likelihood by
   making the sum of the weights equal to the sum of individuals-waves
 <p> For the period prevalence it is possible to estimate the  contributing: a weighted survey doesn't increase or decrease the size of the
 confidence interval from the Hessian matrix (see the publication for  survey, it only give more weight to some individuals and thus less to the
 details). We are supposing that the design of the survey will only  others.
 alter the weight of each individual. IMaCh is scaling the weights of  <H5><FONT color=#ec5e5e size=3>-cross-sectional and period prevalence in state
 individuals-waves contributing to the likelihood by making the sum of  (2=disable) with confidence interval</FONT>:<B> </B><A
 the weights equal to the sum of individuals-waves contributing: a  href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach/doc/biaspar/vbiaspar21.htm"><B>biaspar/vbiaspar21.png</B></A></H5>
 weighted survey doesn't increase or decrease the size of the survey,  <P>This graph exhibits the period prevalence in state (2) with the confidence
 it only give more weights to some individuals and thus less to the  interval in red. The green curve is the observed prevalence (or proportion of
 others.  individuals in state (2)). Without discussing the results (it is not the purpose
   here), we observe that the green curve is somewhat below the period
 <h5><font color="#EC5E5E" size="3">-cross-sectional and period  prevalence. If the data were not biased by the non inclusion of people
 prevalence in state (2=disable) with confidence interval</font>:<b>  living in institutions we would have concluded that the prevalence of
 </b><a href="biaspar/vbiaspar21.htm"><b>biaspar/vbiaspar21.png</b></a></h5>  disability will increase in the future (see the main publication if
   you are interested in real data and results which are opposite).</P>
 <p>This graph exhibits the period prevalence in state (2) with the  <P><IMG height=300
 confidence interval in red. The green curve is the observed prevalence  src="Computing Health Expectancies using IMaCh_fichiers/vbiaspar21.png"
 (or proportion of individuals in state (2)).  Without discussing the  width=400></P>
 results (it is not the purpose here), we observe that the green curve  <H5><FONT color=#ec5e5e size=3><B>-Convergence to the period prevalence of
 is rather below the period prevalence. It the data where not biased by  disability</B></FONT><B>: </B><A
 the non inclusion of people living in institutions we would have  href="Computing Health Expectancies using IMaCh_fichiers/pbiaspar11.png"><B>biaspar/pbiaspar11.png</B></A><BR><IMG
 concluded that the prevalence of disability will increase in the  height=300
 future (see the main publication if you are interested in real data  src="Computing Health Expectancies using IMaCh_fichiers/pbiaspar11.png"
 and results which are opposite).</p>  width=400> </H5>
   <P>This graph plots the conditional transition probabilities from an initial
 <p><img src="biaspar/vbiaspar21.png" width="400" height="300"></p>  state (1=healthy in red at the bottom, or 2=disabled in green on the top) at age
   <EM>x </EM>to the final state 2=disabled<EM> </EM>at age <EM>x+h
 <h5><font color="#EC5E5E" size="3"><b>-Convergence to the  </EM> where conditional means conditional on being alive at age <EM>x+h </EM>which is
 period prevalence of disability</b></font><b>: </b><a  <I>hP12x</I> + <EM>hP22x</EM>. The curves <I>hP12x/(hP12x</I> + <EM>hP22x)
 href="biaspar/pbiaspar11.png"><b>biaspar/pbiaspar11.png</b></a><br>  </EM>and <I>hP22x/(hP12x</I> + <EM>hP22x) </EM>converge with <EM>h, </EM>to the
 <img src="biaspar/pbiaspar11.png" width="400" height="300"> </h5>  <EM>period prevalence of disability</EM>. In order to get the period prevalence
   at age 70 we should start the process at an earlier age, i.e.50. If the
 <p>This graph plots the conditional transition probabilities from  disability state is defined by severe disability criteria with only a
 an initial state (1=healthy in red at the bottom, or 2=disable in  small chance of recovering, then the incidence of recovery is low and the time to convergence is
 green on top) at age <em>x </em>to the final state 2=disable<em> </em>at  probably longer. But we don't have experience of this yet.</P>
 age <em>x+h. </em>Conditional means at the condition to be alive  <H5><FONT color=#ec5e5e size=3><B>- Life expectancies by age and initial health
 at age <em>x+h </em>which is <i>hP12x</i> + <em>hP22x</em>. The  status with standard deviation</B></FONT><B>: </B><A
 curves <i>hP12x/(hP12x</i> + <em>hP22x) </em>and <i>hP22x/(hP12x</i>  href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach/doc/biaspar/erbiaspar.txt"><B>biaspar/erbiaspar.txt</B></A></H5><PRE># Health expectancies
 + <em>hP22x) </em>converge with <em>h, </em>to the <em>period  
 prevalence of disability</em>. In order to get the period  
 prevalence at age 70 we should start the process at an earlier  
 age, i.e.50. If the disability state is defined by severe  
 disability criteria with only a few chance to recover, then the  
 incidence of recovery is low and the time to convergence is  
 probably longer. But we don't have experience yet.</p>  
   
 <h5><font color="#EC5E5E" size="3"><b>- Life expectancies by age  
 and initial health status with standard deviation</b></font><b>: </b><a  
 href="biaspar/erbiaspar.txt"><b>biaspar/erbiaspar.txt</b></a></h5>  
   
 <pre># Health expectancies  
 # Age 1-1 (SE) 1-2 (SE) 2-1 (SE) 2-2 (SE)  # Age 1-1 (SE) 1-2 (SE) 2-1 (SE) 2-2 (SE)
  70   11.0180 (0.1277)    3.1950 (0.3635)    4.6500 (0.0871)    4.4807 (0.2187)   70   11.0180 (0.1277)    3.1950 (0.3635)    4.6500 (0.0871)    4.4807 (0.2187)
  71   10.4786 (0.1184)    3.2093 (0.3212)    4.3384 (0.0875)    4.4820 (0.2076)   71   10.4786 (0.1184)    3.2093 (0.3212)    4.3384 (0.0875)    4.4820 (0.2076)
Line 1079  href="biaspar/erbiaspar.txt"><b>biaspar/ Line 789  href="biaspar/erbiaspar.txt"><b>biaspar/
  79    6.7464 (0.0867)    3.3220 (0.1124)    2.3794 (0.1112)    4.4646 (0.1364)   79    6.7464 (0.0867)    3.3220 (0.1124)    2.3794 (0.1112)    4.4646 (0.1364)
  80    6.3538 (0.0868)    3.3354 (0.1014)    2.1949 (0.1168)    4.4587 (0.1331)   80    6.3538 (0.0868)    3.3354 (0.1014)    2.1949 (0.1168)    4.4587 (0.1331)
  81    5.9775 (0.0873)    3.3484 (0.0933)    2.0222 (0.1230)    4.4520 (0.1320)   81    5.9775 (0.0873)    3.3484 (0.0933)    2.0222 (0.1230)    4.4520 (0.1320)
 </pre>  </PRE><PRE>For example  70  11.0180 (0.1277) 3.1950 (0.3635) 4.6500 (0.0871)  4.4807 (0.2187)
   
 <pre>For example  70  11.0180 (0.1277) 3.1950 (0.3635) 4.6500 (0.0871)  4.4807 (0.2187)  
 means  means
 e11=11.0180 e12=3.1950 e21=4.6500 e22=4.4807 </pre>  e11=11.0180 e12=3.1950 e21=4.6500 e22=4.4807 </PRE><PRE><IMG height=300 src="Computing Health Expectancies using IMaCh_fichiers/expbiaspar21.png" width=400><IMG height=300 src="Computing Health Expectancies using IMaCh_fichiers/expbiaspar11.png" width=400></PRE>
   <P>For example, life expectancy of a healthy individual at age 70 is 11.0 in the
 <pre><img src="biaspar/expbiaspar21.png" width="400" height="300"><img  healthy state and 3.2 in the disability state (total of 14.2 years). If he was
 src="biaspar/expbiaspar11.png" width="400" height="300"></pre>  disabled at age 70, his life expectancy will be shorter, 4.65 years in the
   healthy state and 4.5 in the disability state (=9.15 years). The total life
 <p>For example, life expectancy of a healthy individual at age 70  expectancy is a weighted mean of both, 14.2 and 9.15. The weight is the
 is 11.0 in the healthy state and 3.2 in the disability state  proportion of people disabled at age 70. In order to get a period index (i.e.
 (total of 14.2 years). If he was disable at age 70, his life expectancy  based only on incidences) we use the <A
 will be shorter, 4.65 years in the healthy state and 4.5 in the  href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach/doc/imach.htm#Period prevalence in each state">stable
 disability state (=9.15 years). The total life expectancy is a  or period prevalence</A> at age 70 (i.e. computed from incidences at earlier
 weighted mean of both, 14.2 and 9.15. The weight is the proportion  ages) instead of the <A
 of people disabled at age 70. In order to get a period index  href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach/doc/imach.htm#cross-sectional prevalence in each state">cross-sectional
 (i.e. based only on incidences) we use the <a  prevalence</A> (observed for example at first interview) (<A
 href="#Period prevalence in each state">stable or  href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach/doc/imach.htm#Health expectancies">see
 period prevalence</a> at age 70 (i.e. computed from  below</A>).</P>
 incidences at earlier ages) instead of the <a  <H5><FONT color=#ec5e5e size=3><B>- Variances of life expectancies by age and
 href="#cross-sectional prevalence in each state">cross-sectional prevalence</a>  initial health status</B></FONT><B>: </B><A
 (observed for example at first medical exam) (<a href="#Health expectancies">see  href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach/doc/biaspar/vrbiaspar.txt"><B>biaspar/vrbiaspar.txt</B></A></H5>
 below</a>).</p>  <P>For example, the covariances of life expectancies Cov(ei,ej) at age 50 are
   (line 3) </P><PRE>   Cov(e1,e1)=0.4776  Cov(e1,e2)=0.0488=Cov(e2,e1)  Cov(e2,e2)=0.0424</PRE>
 <h5><font color="#EC5E5E" size="3"><b>- Variances of life  <H5><FONT color=#ec5e5e size=3><B>-Variances of one-step probabilities
 expectancies by age and initial health status</b></font><b>: </b><a  </B></FONT><B>: </B><A
 href="biaspar/vrbiaspar.txt"><b>biaspar/vrbiaspar.txt</b></a></h5>  href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach/doc/biaspar/probrbiaspar.txt"><B>biaspar/probrbiaspar.txt</B></A></H5>
   <P>For example, at age 65</P><PRE>   p11=9.960e-001 standard deviation of p11=2.359e-004</PRE>
 <p>For example, the covariances of life expectancies Cov(ei,ej)  <H5><FONT color=#ec5e5e size=3><B>- </B></FONT><A
 at age 50 are (line 3) </p>  name="Health expectancies"><FONT color=#ec5e5e size=3><B>Health
   expectancies</B></FONT></A><FONT color=#ec5e5e size=3><B> with standard errors
 <pre>   Cov(e1,e1)=0.4776  Cov(e1,e2)=0.0488=Cov(e2,e1)  Cov(e2,e2)=0.0424</pre>  in parentheses</B></FONT><B>: </B><A
   href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach/doc/biaspar/trbiaspar.txt"><FONT
 <h5><font color="#EC5E5E" size="3"><b>-Variances of one-step  face="Courier New"><B>biaspar/trbiaspar.txt</B></FONT></A></H5><PRE>#Total LEs with variances: e.. (std) e.1 (std) e.2 (std) </PRE><PRE>70 13.26 (0.22) 9.95 (0.20) 3.30 (0.14) </PRE>
 probabilities </b></font><b>: </b><a href="biaspar/probrbiaspar.txt"><b>biaspar/probrbiaspar.txt</b></a></h5>  <P>Thus, at age 70 the total life expectancy, e..=13.26 years is the weighted
   mean of e1.=13.46 and e2.=11.35 by the period prevalences at age 70 which are
 <p>For example, at age 65</p>  0.90134 in state 1 and 0.09866 in state 2 respectively (the sum is equal to
   one). e.1=9.95 is the Disability-free life expectancy at age 70 (it is again a
 <pre>   p11=9.960e-001 standard deviation of p11=2.359e-004</pre>  weighted mean of e11 and e21). e.2=3.30 is also the life expectancy at age 70 to
   be spent in the disability state.</P>
 <h5><font color="#EC5E5E" size="3"><b>- </b></font><a  <H5><FONT color=#ec5e5e size=3><B>-Total life expectancy by age and health
 name="Health expectancies"><font color="#EC5E5E" size="3"><b>Health  expectancies in states (1=healthy) and (2=disable)</B></FONT><B>: </B><A
 expectancies</b></font></a><font color="#EC5E5E" size="3"><b>  href="Computing Health Expectancies using IMaCh_fichiers/ebiaspar1.png"><B>biaspar/ebiaspar1.png</B></A></H5>
 with standard errors in parentheses</b></font><b>: </b><a  <P>This figure represents the health expectancies and the total life expectancy
 href="biaspar/trbiaspar.txt"><font face="Courier New"><b>biaspar/trbiaspar.txt</b></font></a></h5>  with a confidence interval (dashed line). </P><PRE>        <IMG height=300 src="Computing Health Expectancies using IMaCh_fichiers/ebiaspar1.png" width=400></PRE>
   <P>Standard deviations (obtained from the information matrix of the model) of
 <pre>#Total LEs with variances: e.. (std) e.1 (std) e.2 (std) </pre>  these quantities are very useful. Cross-longitudinal surveys are costly and do
   not involve huge samples, generally a few thousands; therefore it is very
 <pre>70 13.26 (0.22) 9.95 (0.20) 3.30 (0.14) </pre>  important to have an idea of the standard deviation of our estimates. It has
   been a big challenge to compute the Health Expectancy standard deviations. Don't
 <p>Thus, at age 70 the total life expectancy, e..=13.26 years is  be confused: life expectancy is, as any expected value, the mean of a
 the weighted mean of e1.=13.46 and e2.=11.35 by the period  distribution; but here we are not computing the standard deviation of the
 prevalences at age 70 which are 0.90134 in state 1 and 0.09866 in  distribution, but the standard deviation of the estimate of the mean.</P>
 state 2 respectively (the sum is equal to one). e.1=9.95 is the  <P>Our health expectancy estimates vary according to the sample size (and the
 Disability-free life expectancy at age 70 (it is again a weighted  standard deviations give confidence intervals of the estimates) but also
 mean of e11 and e21). e.2=3.30 is also the life expectancy at age  according to the model fitted. We explain this in more detail.</P>
 70 to be spent in the disability state.</p>  <P>Choosing a model means at least two kind of choices. First we have to
   decide the number of disability states. And second we have to design, within
 <h5><font color="#EC5E5E" size="3"><b>-Total life expectancy by  the logit model family, the model itself: variables, covariates, confounding
 age and health expectancies in states (1=healthy) and (2=disable)</b></font><b>:  factors etc. to be included.</P>
 </b><a href="biaspar/ebiaspar1.png"><b>biaspar/ebiaspar1.png</b></a></h5>  <P>The more disability states we have, the better is our demographical
   approximation of the disability process, but the smaller the number of
 <p>This figure represents the health expectancies and the total  transitions between each state and the higher the noise in the
 life expectancy with a confidence interval (dashed line). </p>  measurement. We have not experimented enough with the various models
   to summarize the advantages and disadvantages, but it is important to
 <pre>        <img src="biaspar/ebiaspar1.png" width="400" height="300"></pre>  note that even if we had huge unbiased samples, the total life
   expectancy computed from a cross-longitudinal survey would vary with
 <p>Standard deviations (obtained from the information matrix of  the number of states. If we define only two states, alive or dead, we
 the model) of these quantities are very useful.  find the usual life expectancy where it is assumed that at each age,
 Cross-longitudinal surveys are costly and do not involve huge  people are at the same risk of dying. If we are differentiating the
 samples, generally a few thousands; therefore it is very  alive state into healthy and disabled, and as mortality from the
 important to have an idea of the standard deviation of our  disabled state is higher than mortality from the healthy state, we are
 estimates. It has been a big challenge to compute the Health  introducing heterogeneity in the risk of dying. The total mortality at
 Expectancy standard deviations. Don't be confuse: life expectancy  each age is the weighted mean of the mortality from each state by the
 is, as any expected value, the mean of a distribution; but here  prevalence of each state. Therefore if the proportion of people at each age and
 we are not computing the standard deviation of the distribution,  in each state is different from the period equilibrium, there is no reason to
 but the standard deviation of the estimate of the mean.</p>  find the same total mortality at a particular age. Life expectancy, even if it
   is a very useful tool, has a very strong hypothesis of homogeneity of the
 <p>Our health expectancies estimates vary according to the sample  population. Our main purpose is not to measure differential mortality but to
 size (and the standard deviations give confidence intervals of  measure the expected time in a healthy or disabled state in order to maximise
 the estimates) but also according to the model fitted. Let us  the former and minimize the latter. But the differential in mortality
 explain it in more details.</p>  complicates the measurement.</P>
   <P>Incidences of disability or recovery are not affected by the number of states
 <p>Choosing a model means at least two kind of choices. At first we  if these states are independent. But incidence estimates are dependent on the
 have to decide the number of disability states. And at second we have to  specification of the model. The more covariates we add in the logit
 design, within the logit model family, the model itself: variables,  model the better
 covariables, confounding factors etc. to be included.</p>  is the model, but some covariates are not well measured, some are confounding
   factors like in any statistical model. The procedure to "fit the best model' is
 <p>More disability states we have, better is our demographical  similar to logistic regression which itself is similar to regression analysis.
 approach of the disability process, but smaller are the number of  We haven't yet been sofar because we also have a severe limitation which is the
 transitions between each state and higher is the noise in the  speed of the convergence. On a Pentium III, 500 MHz, even the simplest model,
 measurement. We do not have enough experiments of the various  estimated by month on 8,000 people may take 4 hours to converge. Also, the IMaCh
 models to summarize the advantages and disadvantages, but it is  program is not a statistical package, and does not allow sophisticated design
 important to say that even if we had huge and unbiased samples,  variables. If you need sophisticated design variable you have to them your self
 the total life expectancy computed from a cross-longitudinal  and and add them as ordinary variables. IMaCh allows up to 8 variables. The
 survey, varies with the number of states. If we define only two  current version of this program allows only to add simple variables like age+sex
 states, alive or dead, we find the usual life expectancy where it  or age+sex+ age*sex but will never be general enough. But what is to remember,
 is assumed that at each age, people are at the same risk to die.  is that incidences or probability of change from one state to another is
 If we are differentiating the alive state into healthy and  affected by the variables specified into the model.</P>
 disable, and as the mortality from the disability state is higher  <P>Also, the age range of the people interviewed is linked the age range of the
 than the mortality from the healthy state, we are introducing  life expectancy which can be estimated by extrapolation. If your sample ranges
 heterogeneity in the risk of dying. The total mortality at each  from age 70 to 95, you can clearly estimate a life expectancy at age 70 and
 age is the weighted mean of the mortality in each state by the  trust your confidence interval because it is mostly based on your sample size,
 prevalence in each state. Therefore if the proportion of people  but if you want to estimate the life expectancy at age 50, you should rely in
 at each age and in each state is different from the period  the design of your model. Fitting a logistic model on a age range of 70 to 95
 equilibrium, there is no reason to find the same total mortality  and estimating probabilties of transition out of this age range, say at age 50,
 at a particular age. Life expectancy, even if it is a very useful  is very dangerous. At least you should remember that the confidence interval
 tool, has a very strong hypothesis of homogeneity of the  given by the standard deviation of the health expectancies, are under the strong
 population. Our main purpose is not to measure differential  assumption that your model is the 'true model', which is probably not the case
 mortality but to measure the expected time in a healthy or  outside the age range of your sample.</P>
 disability state in order to maximise the former and minimize the  <H5><FONT color=#ec5e5e size=3><B>- Copy of the parameter file</B></FONT><B>:
 latter. But the differential in mortality complexifies the  </B><A
 measurement.</p>  href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach/doc/orbiaspar.txt"><B>orbiaspar.txt</B></A></H5>
   <P>This copy of the parameter file can be useful to re-run the program while
 <p>Incidences of disability or recovery are not affected by the number  saving the old output files. </P>
 of states if these states are independent. But incidences estimates  <H5><FONT color=#ec5e5e size=3><B>- Prevalence forecasting</B></FONT><B>: </B><A
 are dependent on the specification of the model. More covariates we  href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach/doc/biaspar/frbiaspar.txt"><B>biaspar/frbiaspar.txt</B></A></H5>
 added in the logit model better is the model, but some covariates are  <P>First, we have estimated the observed prevalence between 1/1/1984 and
 not well measured, some are confounding factors like in any  1/6/1988 (June, European syntax of dates). The mean date of all interviews
 statistical model. The procedure to &quot;fit the best model' is  (weighted average of the interviews performed between 1/1/1984 and 1/6/1988) is
 similar to logistic regression which itself is similar to regression  estimated to be 13/9/1985, as written on the top on the file. Then we forecast
 analysis. We haven't yet been sofar because we also have a severe  the probability to be in each state. </P>
 limitation which is the speed of the convergence. On a Pentium III,  <P>For example on 1/1/1989 : </P><PRE class=MsoNormal># StartingAge FinalAge P.1 P.2 P.3
 500 MHz, even the simplest model, estimated by month on 8,000 people  
 may take 4 hours to converge.  Also, the IMaCh program is not a  
 statistical package, and does not allow sophisticated design  
 variables. If you need sophisticated design variable you have to them  
 your self and and add them as ordinary variables. IMaCX allows up to 8  
 variables. The current version of this program allows only to add  
 simple variables like age+sex or age+sex+ age*sex but will never be  
 general enough. But what is to remember, is that incidences or  
 probability of change from one state to another is affected by the  
 variables specified into the model.</p>  
   
 <p>Also, the age range of the people interviewed is linked  
 the age range of the life expectancy which can be estimated by  
 extrapolation. If your sample ranges from age 70 to 95, you can  
 clearly estimate a life expectancy at age 70 and trust your  
 confidence interval because it is mostly based on your sample size,  
 but if you want to estimate the life expectancy at age 50, you  
 should rely in the design of your model. Fitting a logistic model on a age  
 range of 70 to 95 and estimating probabilties of transition out of  
 this age range, say at age 50, is very dangerous. At least you  
 should remember that the confidence interval given by the  
 standard deviation of the health expectancies, are under the  
 strong assumption that your model is the 'true model', which is  
 probably not the case outside the age range of your sample.</p>  
   
 <h5><font color="#EC5E5E" size="3"><b>- Copy of the parameter  
 file</b></font><b>: </b><a href="orbiaspar.txt"><b>orbiaspar.txt</b></a></h5>  
   
 <p>This copy of the parameter file can be useful to re-run the  
 program while saving the old output files. </p>  
   
 <h5><font color="#EC5E5E" size="3"><b>- Prevalence forecasting</b></font><b>:  
 </b><a href="biaspar/frbiaspar.txt"><b>biaspar/frbiaspar.txt</b></a></h5>  
   
 <p>  
   
 First,  
 we have estimated the observed prevalence between 1/1/1984 and  
 1/6/1988 (June, European syntax of dates). The mean date of all interviews (weighted average of the  
 interviews performed between 1/1/1984 and 1/6/1988) is estimated  
 to be 13/9/1985, as written on the top on the file. Then we  
 forecast the probability to be in each state. </p>  
   
 <p>  
 For example on 1/1/1989 : </p>  
   
 <pre class="MsoNormal"># StartingAge FinalAge P.1 P.2 P.3  
 # Forecasting at date 1/1/1989  # Forecasting at date 1/1/1989
   73 0.807 0.078 0.115</pre>    73 0.807 0.078 0.115</PRE>
   <P>Since the minimum age is 70 on the 13/9/1985, the youngest forecasted age is
 <p>  73. This means that at age a person aged 70 at 13/9/1989 has a probability to
   enter state1 of 0.807 at age 73 on 1/1/1989. Similarly, the probability to be in
 Since the minimum age is 70 on the 13/9/1985, the youngest forecasted  state 2 is 0.078 and the probability to die is 0.115. Then, on the 1/1/1989, the
 age is 73. This means that at age a person aged 70 at 13/9/1989 has a  prevalence of disability at age 73 is estimated to be 0.088.</P>
 probability to enter state1 of 0.807 at age 73 on 1/1/1989.  <H5><FONT color=#ec5e5e size=3><B>- Population forecasting</B></FONT><B>: </B><A
 Similarly, the probability to be in state 2 is 0.078 and the  href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach/doc/biaspar/poprbiaspar.txt"><B>biaspar/poprbiaspar.txt</B></A></H5><PRE># Age P.1 P.2 P.3 [Population]
 probability to die is 0.115. Then, on the 1/1/1989, the prevalence of  
 disability at age 73 is estimated to be 0.088.</p>  
   
 <h5><font color="#EC5E5E" size="3"><b>- Population forecasting</b></font><b>:  
 </b><a href="biaspar/poprbiaspar.txt"><b>biaspar/poprbiaspar.txt</b></a></h5>  
   
 <pre># Age P.1 P.2 P.3 [Population]  
 # Forecasting at date 1/1/1989  # Forecasting at date 1/1/1989
 75 572685.22 83798.08  75 572685.22 83798.08
 74 621296.51 79767.99  74 621296.51 79767.99
 73 645857.70 69320.60 </pre>  73 645857.70 69320.60 </PRE><PRE># Forecasting at date 1/1/19909
   
 <pre># Forecasting at date 1/1/19909  
 76 442986.68 92721.14 120775.48  76 442986.68 92721.14 120775.48
 75 487781.02 91367.97 121915.51  75 487781.02 91367.97 121915.51
 74 512892.07 85003.47 117282.76 </pre>  74 512892.07 85003.47 117282.76 </PRE>
   <P>From the population file, we estimate the number of people in each state. At
 <p>From the population file, we estimate the number of people in  age 73, 645857 persons are in state 1 and 69320 are in state 2. One year latter,
 each state. At age 73, 645857 persons are in state 1 and 69320  512892 are still in state 1, 85003 are in state 2 and 117282 died before
 are in state 2. One year latter, 512892 are still in state 1,  1/1/1990.</P>
 85003 are in state 2 and 117282 died before 1/1/1990.</p>  <HR>
   
 <hr>  <H2><A name=example></A><FONT color=#00006a>Trying an example</FONT></H2>
   <P>Since you know how to run the program, it is time to test it on your own
 <h2><a name="example"></a><font color="#00006A">Trying an example</font></h2>  computer. Try for example on a parameter file named <A
   href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach/doc/imachpar.imach">imachpar.imach</A>
 <p>Since you know how to run the program, it is time to test it  which is a copy of <FONT face="Courier New" size=2>mypar.imach</FONT> included
 on your own computer. Try for example on a parameter file named <a  in the subdirectory of imach, <FONT face="Courier New" size=2>mytry</FONT>. Edit
 href="imachpar.imach">imachpar.imach</a> which is a copy  it and change the name of the data file to <FONT face="Courier New"
 of <font size="2" face="Courier New">mypar.imach</font> included  size=2>mydata.txt</FONT> if you don't want to copy it on the same directory. The
 in the subdirectory of imach, <font size="2" face="Courier New">mytry</font>.  file <FONT face="Courier New">mydata.txt</FONT> is a smaller file of 3,000
 Edit it and change the name of the data file to <font size="2"  people but still with 4 waves. </P>
 face="Courier New">mydata.txt</font> if you don't want to  <P>Right click on the .imach file and a window will popup with the string
 copy it on the same directory. The file <font face="Courier New">mydata.txt</font>  '<STRONG>Enter the parameter file name:'</STRONG></P>
 is a smaller file of 3,000 people but still with 4 waves. </p>  <TABLE border=1>
     <TBODY>
 <p>Right click on the .imach file and a window will popup with the    <TR>
 string '<strong>Enter the parameter file name:'</strong></p>      <TD width="100%"><STRONG>IMACH, Version 0.97b</STRONG>
         <P><STRONG>Enter the parameter file name:
 <table border="1">    imachpar.imach</STRONG></P></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
     <tr>  <P>Most of the data files or image files generated, will use the 'imachpar'
         <td width="100%"><strong>IMACH, Version 0.97b</strong><p><strong>Enter  string into their name. The running time is about 2-3 minutes on a Pentium III.
         the parameter file name: imachpar.imach</strong></p>  If the execution worked correctly, the outputs files are created in the current
         </td>  directory, and should be the same as the mypar files initially included in the
     </tr>  directory <FONT face="Courier New" size=2>mytry</FONT>.</P>
 </table>  <UL>
     <LI><PRE><U>Output on the screen</U> The output screen looks like <A href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach/doc/biaspar.log">biaspar.log</A>
 <p>Most of the data files or image files generated, will use the  
 'imachpar' string into their name. The running time is about 2-3  
 minutes on a Pentium III. If the execution worked correctly, the  
 outputs files are created in the current directory, and should be  
 the same as the mypar files initially included in the directory <font  
 size="2" face="Courier New">mytry</font>.</p>  
   
 <ul>  
     <li><pre><u>Output on the screen</u> The output screen looks like <a  
 href="biaspar.log">biaspar.log</a>  
 #  #
 title=MLE datafile=mydaiata.txt lastobs=3000 firstpass=1 lastpass=3  title=MLE datafile=mydaiata.txt lastobs=3000 firstpass=1 lastpass=3
 ftol=1.000000e-008 stepm=24 ncovcol=2 nlstate=2 ndeath=1 maxwav=4 mle=1 weight=0</pre>  ftol=1.000000e-008 stepm=24 ncovcol=2 nlstate=2 ndeath=1 maxwav=4 mle=1 weight=0</PRE>
     </li>    <LI><PRE>Total number of individuals= 2965, Agemin = 70.00, Agemax= 100.92
     <li><pre>Total number of individuals= 2965, Agemin = 70.00, Agemax= 100.92  
   
 Warning, no any valid information for:126 line=126  Warning, no any valid information for:126 line=126
 Warning, no any valid information for:2307 line=2307  Warning, no any valid information for:2307 line=2307
 Delay (in months) between two waves Min=21 Max=51 Mean=24.495826  Delay (in months) between two waves Min=21 Max=51 Mean=24.495826
 <font face="Times New Roman">These lines give some warnings on the data file and also some raw statistics on frequencies of transitions.</font>  <FONT face="Times New Roman">These lines give some warnings on the data file and also some raw statistics on frequencies of transitions.</FONT>
 Age 70 1.=230 loss[1]=3.5% 2.=16 loss[2]=12.5% 1.=222 prev[1]=94.1% 2.=14  Age 70 1.=230 loss[1]=3.5% 2.=16 loss[2]=12.5% 1.=222 prev[1]=94.1% 2.=14
  prev[2]=5.9% 1-1=8 11=200 12=7 13=15 2-1=2 21=6 22=7 23=1   prev[2]=5.9% 1-1=8 11=200 12=7 13=15 2-1=2 21=6 22=7 23=1
 Age 102 1.=0 loss[1]=NaNQ% 2.=0 loss[2]=NaNQ% 1.=0 prev[1]=NaNQ% 2.=0 </pre>  Age 102 1.=0 loss[1]=NaNQ% 2.=0 loss[2]=NaNQ% 1.=0 prev[1]=NaNQ% 2.=0 </PRE></LI></UL>It
     </li>  includes some warnings or errors which are very important for you. Be careful
 </ul>  with such warnings because your results may be biased if, for example, you have
 It includes some warnings or errors which are very important for  people who accepted to be interviewed at first pass but never after. Or if you
 you. Be careful with such warnings because your results may be biased  don't have the exact month of death. In such cases IMaCh doesn't take any
 if, for example, you have people who accepted to be interviewed at  initiative, it does only warn you. It is up to you to decide what to do with
 first pass but never after. Or if you don't have the exact month of  these people. Excluding them is usually a wrong decision. It is better to decide
 death. In such cases IMaCh doesn't take any initiative, it does only  that the month of death is at the mid-interval between the last two waves for
 warn you. It is up to you to decide what to do with these  example.
 people. Excluding them is usually a wrong decision. It is better to  <P>If you survey suffers from severe attrition, you have to analyse the
 decide that the month of death is at the mid-interval between the last  characteristics of the lost people and overweight people with same
 two waves for example.<p>  characteristics for example.
   <P>By default, IMaCH warns and excludes these problematic people, but you have
 If you survey suffers from severe attrition, you have to analyse the  to be careful with such results.
 characteristics of the lost people and overweight people with same  <P>&nbsp;</P>
 characteristics for example.  <UL>
 <p>    <LI>Maximisation with the Powell algorithm. 8 directions are given
 By default, IMaCH warns and excludes these problematic people, but you    corresponding to the 8 parameters. this can be rather long to get
 have to be careful with such results.    convergence.<BR><FONT face="Courier New" size=1><BR>Powell iter=1
     -2*LL=11531.405658264877 1 0.000000000000 2 0.000000000000 3<BR>0.000000000000
 <p>&nbsp;</p>    4 0.000000000000 5 0.000000000000 6 0.000000000000 7 <BR>0.000000000000 8
     0.000000000000<BR>1..........2.................3..........4.................5.........<BR>6................7........8...............<BR>Powell
 <ul>    iter=23 -2*LL=6744.954108371555 1 -12.967632334283 <BR>2 0.135136681033 3
     <li>Maximisation with the Powell algorithm. 8 directions are    -7.402109728262 4 0.067844593326 <BR>5 -0.673601538129 6 -0.006615504377 7
         given corresponding to the 8 parameters. this can be    -5.051341616718 <BR>8
         rather long to get convergence.<br>    0.051272038506<BR>1..............2...........3..............4...........<BR>5..........6................7...........8.........<BR>#Number
         <font size="1" face="Courier New"><br>    of iterations = 23, -2 Log likelihood = 6744.954042573691<BR>#
         Powell iter=1 -2*LL=11531.405658264877 1 0.000000000000 2    Parameters<BR>12 -12.966061 0.135117 <BR>13 -7.401109 0.067831 <BR>21
         0.000000000000 3<br>    -0.672648 -0.006627 <BR>23 -5.051297 0.051271 </FONT><BR>
         0.000000000000 4 0.000000000000 5 0.000000000000 6    <LI><PRE><FONT size=2>Calculation of the hessian matrix. Wait...
         0.000000000000 7 <br>  
         0.000000000000 8 0.000000000000<br>  
         1..........2.................3..........4.................5.........<br>  
         6................7........8...............<br>  
         Powell iter=23 -2*LL=6744.954108371555 1 -12.967632334283  
         <br>  
         2 0.135136681033 3 -7.402109728262 4 0.067844593326 <br>  
         5 -0.673601538129 6 -0.006615504377 7 -5.051341616718 <br>  
         8 0.051272038506<br>  
         1..............2...........3..............4...........<br>  
         5..........6................7...........8.........<br>  
         #Number of iterations = 23, -2 Log likelihood =  
         6744.954042573691<br>  
         # Parameters<br>  
         12 -12.966061 0.135117 <br>  
         13 -7.401109 0.067831 <br>  
         21 -0.672648 -0.006627 <br>  
         23 -5.051297 0.051271 </font><br>  
         </li>  
     <li><pre><font size="2">Calculation of the hessian matrix. Wait...  
 12345678.12.13.14.15.16.17.18.23.24.25.26.27.28.34.35.36.37.38.45.46.47.48.56.57.58.67.68.78  12345678.12.13.14.15.16.17.18.23.24.25.26.27.28.34.35.36.37.38.45.46.47.48.56.57.58.67.68.78
   
 Inverting the hessian to get the covariance matrix. Wait...  Inverting the hessian to get the covariance matrix. Wait...
Line 1415  Computing Variance-covariance of DFLEs: Line 1036  Computing Variance-covariance of DFLEs:
 Computing Total LEs with variances: file 'trmypar.txt'  Computing Total LEs with variances: file 'trmypar.txt'
 Computing Variance-covariance of Prevalence limit: file 'vplrmypar.txt'  Computing Variance-covariance of Prevalence limit: file 'vplrmypar.txt'
 End of Imach  End of Imach
 </font></pre>  </FONT></PRE></LI></UL>
     </li>  <P><FONT size=3>Once the running is finished, the program requires a
 </ul>  character:</FONT></P>
   <TABLE border=1>
 <p><font size="3">Once the running is finished, the program    <TBODY>
 requires a character:</font></p>    <TR>
       <TD width="100%"><STRONG>Type e to edit output files, g to graph again, c
 <table border="1">        to start again, and q for exiting:</STRONG></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>In order to
     <tr>  have an idea of the time needed to reach convergence, IMaCh gives an estimation
         <td width="100%"><strong>Type e to edit output files, g  if the convergence needs 10, 20 or 30 iterations. It might be useful.
         to graph again, c to start again, and q for exiting:</strong></td>  <P><FONT size=3>First you should enter <STRONG>e </STRONG>to edit the master
     </tr>  file mypar.htm. </FONT></P>
 </table>  <UL>
     <LI><U>Outputs files</U> <BR><BR>- Copy of the parameter file: <A
 In order to have an idea of the time needed to reach convergence,    href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach/doc/ormypar.txt">ormypar.txt</A><BR>-
 IMaCh gives an estimation if the convergence needs 10, 20 or 30    Gnuplot file name: <A
 iterations. It might be useful.    href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach/doc/mypar.gp.txt">mypar.gp.txt</A><BR>-
     Cross-sectional prevalence in each state: <A
 <p><font size="3">First you should enter <strong>e </strong>to    href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach/doc/prmypar.txt">prmypar.txt</A> <BR>-
 edit the master file mypar.htm. </font></p>    Period prevalence in each state: <A
     href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach/doc/plrmypar.txt">plrmypar.txt</A> <BR>-
 <ul>    Transition probabilities: <A
     <li><u>Outputs files</u> <br>    href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach/doc/pijrmypar.txt">pijrmypar.txt</A><BR>-
         <br>    Life expectancies by age and initial health status (estepm=24 months): <A
         - Copy of the parameter file: <a href="ormypar.txt">ormypar.txt</a><br>    href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach/doc/ermypar.txt">ermypar.txt</A> <BR>-
         - Gnuplot file name: <a href="mypar.gp.txt">mypar.gp.txt</a><br>    Parameter file with estimated parameters and the covariance matrix: <A
         - Cross-sectional prevalence in each state: <a    href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach/doc/rmypar.txt">rmypar.txt</A> <BR>-
         href="prmypar.txt">prmypar.txt</a> <br>    Variance of one-step probabilities: <A
         - Period prevalence in each state: <a    href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach/doc/probrmypar.txt">probrmypar.txt</A>
         href="plrmypar.txt">plrmypar.txt</a> <br>    <BR>- Variances of life expectancies by age and initial health status
         - Transition probabilities: <a href="pijrmypar.txt">pijrmypar.txt</a><br>    (estepm=24 months): <A
         - Life expectancies by age and initial health status    href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach/doc/vrmypar.txt">vrmypar.txt</A><BR>-
         (estepm=24 months): <a href="ermypar.txt">ermypar.txt</a>    Health expectancies with their variances: <A
         <br>    href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach/doc/trmypar.txt">trmypar.txt</A> <BR>-
         - Parameter file with estimated parameters and the    Standard deviation of period prevalences: <A
         covariance matrix: <a href="rmypar.txt">rmypar.txt</a> <br>    href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach/doc/vplrmypar.txt">vplrmypar.txt</A>
         - Variance of one-step probabilities: <a    <BR>No population forecast: popforecast = 0 (instead of 1) or stepm = 24
         href="probrmypar.txt">probrmypar.txt</a> <br>    (instead of 1) or model=. (instead of .)<BR><BR>
         - Variances of life expectancies by age and initial    <LI><U>Graphs</U> <BR><BR>-<A
         health status (estepm=24 months): <a href="vrmypar.txt">vrmypar.txt</a><br>    href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach/mytry/pemypar1.gif">One-step transition
         - Health expectancies with their variances: <a    probabilities</A><BR>-<A
         href="trmypar.txt">trmypar.txt</a> <br>    href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach/mytry/pmypar11.gif">Convergence to the
         - Standard deviation of period prevalences: <a    period prevalence</A><BR>-<A
         href="vplrmypar.txt">vplrmypar.txt</a> <br>    href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach/mytry/vmypar11.gif">Cross-sectional and
         No population forecast: popforecast = 0 (instead of 1) or    period prevalence in state (1) with the confident interval</A> <BR>-<A
         stepm = 24 (instead of 1) or model=. (instead of .)<br>    href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach/mytry/vmypar21.gif">Cross-sectional and
         <br>    period prevalence in state (2) with the confident interval</A> <BR>-<A
         </li>    href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach/mytry/expmypar11.gif">Health life
     <li><u>Graphs</u> <br>    expectancies by age and initial health state (1)</A> <BR>-<A
         <br>    href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach/mytry/expmypar21.gif">Health life
         -<a href="../mytry/pemypar1.gif">One-step transition    expectancies by age and initial health state (2)</A> <BR>-<A
         probabilities</a><br>    href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach/mytry/emypar1.gif">Total life expectancy
         -<a href="../mytry/pmypar11.gif">Convergence to the    by age and health expectancies in states (1) and (2).</A> </LI></UL>
         period prevalence</a><br>  <P>This software have been partly granted by <A
         -<a href="..\mytry\vmypar11.gif">Cross-sectional and period  href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/">Euro-REVES</A>, a concerted action from the
         prevalence in state (1) with the confident interval</a> <br>  European Union. It will be copyrighted identically to a GNU software product,
         -<a href="..\mytry\vmypar21.gif">Cross-sectional and period  i.e. program and software can be distributed freely for non commercial use.
         prevalence in state (2) with the confident interval</a> <br>  Sources are not widely distributed today. You can get them by asking us with a
         -<a href="..\mytry\expmypar11.gif">Health life  simple justification (name, email, institute) <A
         expectancies by age and initial health state (1)</a> <br>  href="mailto:brouard@ined.fr">mailto:brouard@ined.fr</A> and <A
         -<a href="..\mytry\expmypar21.gif">Health life  href="mailto:lievre@ined.fr">mailto:lievre@ined.fr</A> .</P>
         expectancies by age and initial health state (2)</a> <br>  <P>Latest version (0.97b of June 2004) can be accessed at <A
         -<a href="..\mytry\emypar1.gif">Total life expectancy by  href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach">http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach</A><BR></P></BODY></HTML>
         age and health expectancies in states (1) and (2).</a> </li>  
 </ul>  
   
 <p>This software have been partly granted by <a  
 href="http://euroreves.ined.fr">Euro-REVES</a>, a concerted action  
 from the European Union. Since 2003 it is also partly granted by the  
 French Institute on Longevity. It will be copyrighted identically to a  
 GNU software product, i.e. program and software can be distributed  
 freely for non commercial use. Sources are not widely distributed  
 today because some part of the codes are copyrighted by Numerical  
 Recipes in C. You can get our GPL codes by asking us with a simple  
 justification (name, email, institute) <a  
 href="mailto:brouard@ined.fr">mailto:brouard@ined.fr</a> and <a  
 href="mailto:lievre@ined.fr">mailto:lievre@ined.fr</a> .</p>  
   
 <p>Latest version (0.97b of June 2004) can be accessed at <a  
 href="http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach">http://euroreves.ined.fr/imach</a><br>  
 </p>  
 </body>  
 </html>  

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