Combine the results of proc means

[zjhansen30]

I am trying to combine 3 results into 1, renaming it and getting the mean of those 3 results.  I have searched and searched but can't find any info on this, except for using a by or class statement, which is not what I am looking for, so far I only have this....

proc mean data=pat_info;
var result1 result2 result3;
run;

[Reeza]

Your question is ambiguous.

Are you trying to take the average of 3 values that are already averages? 

Or combining 3 datasets to get one average?

[zjhansen30]

Sorry. never done this procedure before.  I am trying to create a variable, for example mean_result, using 3 different variable averages with 15 observations.  I need to combine the 3 result averages to get the mean for all 3 results, for all 15 obsv.

[Reeza]

Forget the procedure. Explain what you want in plain english, because I don't understand as is. 

Do you have multiple data sets you're working with, or multiple variables within a data set, or multiple groups within a dataset?

Maybe provide a small sample of fictional data that illustrates your issue. 

If I assume you have three different variables and you want the average of averages then this would work - make sure that you account for the different number of observations especially if you have missing values anywhere.

  data class;
  set sashelp.class;

  weight2=weight+5;
  weight3 =weight+3;
  run;

  proc means data=class stackods mean;
  var weight weight2 weight3;
  ods output summary=mean_weight;
  run;

  proc means data=mean_weight;
  var mean;
  output out=want_p_means mean(mean)=average;
  run;

[zjhansen30]

Result1 Result2 Result3
4              4.2          4.4
2.3           3.4          4.5
1.9           4.3             6
1.4           1.4          1.4
10.3            9          5.2
3.5           3.3          5.2
3.9              5          7.6
4.7           7.3             1
7.8           1.3         5.6
4               5.1            .
4.4            1.5           2
6                   .            .
6.3                .            .
1.6            1.6             .
1.8            2.3         2.3

Above is the 3 variables I have. I am trying to create a variable mean_result, which is the mean of the above 3 variables.

[Reeza]

A very long work through but several solutions are here, 3, 2 work and 1 isn't correct but is done to illustrate the issue with that method.

data have;
infile cards truncover;
input Result1 Result2 Result3;
cards;
4              4.2          4.4
2.3           3.4          4.5
1.9           4.3             6
1.4           1.4          1.4
10.3            9          5.2
3.5           3.3          5.2
3.9              5          7.6
4.7           7.3             1
7.8           1.3         5.6
4               5.1            .
4.4            1.5           2
6                   .            .
6.3                .            .
1.6            1.6             .
1.8            2.3         2.3
;
run;

*WRONG WAY to do this;
  proc means data=have  noprint;
  var Result: ;
  output out=summary_mean mean(result1)=result1 mean(result2)=result2 mean(result3)=result3;
  run;

data wrong_answer;
set summary_mean;
solution = mean(result1, result2, result3);
run;

*One step data step solution;
  data data_step_solution;
  set have end=eof;
  retain running_total running_count;
  Running_total = sum(running_total, result1, result2, result3);
  Running_count = sum(running_count, n(result1, result2, result3));

  if eof then do;
     mean = running_total/running_count;
     output;
  end;

  keep mean;
  run;

  *Combine via a view and then proc means;
  data combined /view=combined;
  set have(rename=result1=result )
  have(rename=result2=result)
  have(rename=result3=result);
  keep result;
  run;

 
  proc means data=combined noprint;
  var result;
  output out=mean_result mean(result)=mean_result;
  run;

  title "Wrong answer - doesn't account for missing";
  proc print data=wrong_answer;
  run;
  title "Answer from data step";
    proc print data=data_step_solution;
  run;
  title "Answer from proc means with view";
    proc print data=mean_result;
  run;