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Surveillance Research Program

Data Warnings Displayed by Joinpoint

When a session is executed, users will first be notified if any of the following problems exist in the cohort data:

 

General Warnings

When analyzing counts or computing crude rates, Joinpoint will add 0.5 to any zero count under the circumstances listed here. The following WARNING will be displayed once per analysis execution:

  • Warning Message: There are records with a value of zero for count, 0.5 will be added to each zero count value.

 

Cohort-Specific Warnings

If any of the following problems exits, a special window will appear which will list all the errors for each cohort. From the window, users can either end the job or continue it. If they choose to continue the job, any cohort with one or more of the following problems will not be analyzed.

 

If a record is found with the dependent variable value missing.

  • Warning Message: Joinpoint cannot process records with missing dependent variable values. Joinpoint will not analyze by-groups that have this error.

 

If the dependent variable value is 0 and it is a log linear run, then the dependent variable cannot have records with the value of zero.

 

If a record is found with the independent variable value missing.

  • Warning Message: Joinpoint cannot process records with no independent variable. Joinpoint will not analyze by-groups that have this error

 

If a record is found where the dependent variable value is non-numeric.

  • Warning Message: Error in Data File: Joinpoint cannot process records with independent variable values that are non-numeric.

 

For analyses where standard errors are read in/used:

  • If the SE is missing - Warning Message: Joinpoint cannot process records with missing weight values. Joinpoint will not analyze by-groups that have this error.
  • If the SE is less than or equal to zero - Warning Message: Joinpoint cannot process records with weight variable <= 0. Joinpoint will not analyze by-groups that have this error.

 

When crude rates are calculated by Joinpoint, the following will trigger a warning and the cohort will not be analyzed by Joinpoint:

  • There were one or more count values that were non-numeric, missing, or less than zero.
  • There were one or more population values that were non-numeric, missing, or less than zero.
  • There were one or more population values of zero.
  • If the standard error is required for the analysis and one or more count values are zero, then the associated SEs will be zero. A zero SE is not allowed.
  • If it is a Log Linear analysis and a count value of zero is found.

 

When age-adjusted rates are calculated by Joinpoint, the following will trigger a warning message and the cohort will not be analyzed by Joinpoint:

  • There were one or more count values that were non-numeric, missing, or less than than zero.
  • There were one or more population values that were non-numeric, missing, or less than zero.
  • There were one or more standard population values that were non-numeric, missing, or less than zero.
  • The total of the standard population does not match the total obtained from the first cohort.
  • If it is a Log Linear analysis and the final age-adjusted rate value is zero.
  • One or more of the following adjustment variable problems exist:
    • The adjustment variable only has 1 category/group.
    • The records for the cohort are not evenly divisible by the number of adjustment variable groups.

 

When proportions are calculated by Joinpoint, the following will trigger an error:

  • There were one or more numerator or denominator values that were non-numeric or negative.
  • There are one or more records where the denominator was zero.
  • There are one or more proportions that are less than zero.
  • There are one or more proportions that are greater than 1.0 (numerator greater than denominator).

 

When percentages are calculated by Joinpoint, the following will trigger a warning:

  • There were one or more numerator or denominator values that were non-numeric or negative.
  • There were one or more records where the denominator was zero.
  • There are one or more percentages that are less than zero.
  • There are one or more percentages that are greater than 100.00 (numerator greater than denominator).