| Summary: | Over the past two decades there has been an upsurge in interest in structural equation
modelling (SEM). Applications abound in the social sciences and econometrics, but
the use of this multivariate technique is not so common in public health research.
This dissertation discusses the methodology, the criticisms and practical problems of
SEM. We examine actual applications of SEM in public health research.
Comparisons are made between multiple regression and SEM and between factor
analysis and SEM. A complex model investigating the utilization of antenatal care
services (ANC) by migrant women in Belgium is analysed using SEM. The
dissertation concludes with a discussion of the results found and on the use of SEM
in public health research. Structural equation modelling is recommended as a tool for
public health researchers with a warning against using the technique too casually. === Mathematical Sciences === M. Sc. (Statistics)
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