Slide Presentation from the AHRQ 2007 Annual Conference

In a multilevel analysis, variance in the dependent variable is decomposed into within and between group components. Two equations result;

• In a multilevel analysis, variance in the dependent variable is decomposed into within and between group components. Two equations result; a within-unit model:
  • Yij=Boj +rij
• and a between-unit model:
  • Boj=Goo +Uoj

Notes:

Separates explained variance attributable to each level of the hierarchy (e.g. time, individual, organizational)

level-1 intercept and coefficients become the dependent variables with the unit characteristics as predictors(level-2 model).

In the level-2 model the overall intercept, β0j, IS allowed to randomly
vary across physician group practices (a so-called "means as outcomes" model),

OR the coefficients from the level-one model were fixed and not allowed to vary across units.