topic Re: Using array to create variables with multiple categories in SAS Programming

Using array to create variables with multiple categories

kgrover — Wed, 31 Oct 2018 18:55:28 GMT

I have used the following code to define use disorder if 2 or more questions are answered as yes. This statement works for this purpose.

data mergeTOB2; set mergeTOB1;
array num{*} CIINTERF--CIPROBLM;
TOBDORD = sum (of num(*)) ge 2;
run;

How can i modify this statement to define mild and moderate disorder, where sum of ge 2 but lt 3 is mild and ge 4 is moderate?

Re: Using array to create variables with multiple categories

PeterClemmensen — Wed, 31 Oct 2018 19:02:58 GMT

So it can be only mild and moderate, or?

Re: Using array to create variables with multiple categories

kgrover — Wed, 31 Oct 2018 19:04:51 GMT

less than 2 = no disorder; 2 to 3 = mild disorder; 4 or more = moderate/severe

Re: Using array to create variables with multiple categories

Astounding — Wed, 31 Oct 2018 20:25:02 GMT

Maybe in SQL you could assign three different values with a single CASE statement. But in a DATA step you will need two variables:

data mergeTOB2;

set merge TOB;

array num {*} CIINTERF--CIPROBLM;

TOBDORD = sum(of num{*});

if tobdord >= 4 then result = "moderate/severe";

else if tobord = 3 then result = "mild";

else result = "no disorder";

run;

You could consider dropping TOBORD once RESULT is created. Alternatively, you could skip creating RESULT entirely and just let TOBORD be your new variable. When it comes time to print, you could add a format that translates numeric values into descriptive strings, such as:

proc format;

value result low-2 = "no disorder"

3 = "mild"

4-high = "moderate/severe";

run;

Another variation: it's not clear if you want to get rid of the observations with counts of 2 or less. The last ELSE statement could become (if needed):

else delete;