TABLE Subcommand (SURVIVAL command)

TABLE identifies the survival and control variables to be included in the analysis.

  • The minimum specification is one or more survival variables.
  • To specify one or more first-order control (or factor) variables, use the keyword BY followed by the control variable(s). First-order control variables are processed in sequence. For example, BY A(1,3) B(1,2) results in five groups (A=1, A=2, A=3, B=1, and B=2).
  • You can specify one or more second-order control variables following a second BY keyword. Separate life tables are generated for each combination of values of the first-order and second-order controls. For example, BY A(1,3) BY B(1,2) results in six groups (A=1 B=1, A=1 B=2, A=2 B=1, A=2 B=2, A=3 B=1, and A=3, B=2).
  • Each control variable must be followed by a value range in parentheses. These values must be integers separated by a comma or a blank. Non-integer values in the data are truncated, and the case is assigned to a subgroup based on the integer portion of its value on the variable. To specify only one value for a control variable, use the same value for the minimum and maximum.
  • To generate life tables for all cases combined, as well as for control variables, use COMPUTE to create a variable that has the same value for all cases. With this variable as a control, tables for the entire set of cases, as well as for the control variables, will be produced.

Example

SURVIVAL TABLE = MOSFREE BY TREATMNT(1,3) BY RACE(1,2)
  /STATUS = PRISON(1)
  /INTERVAL = THRU 24 BY 3.
  • MOSFREE is the survival variable, and TREATMNT is the first-order control variable. The second BY defines RACE as a second-order control group having a value of 1 or 2.
  • Six life tables with the median survival time are produced, one for each pair of values for the two control variables.