SSA Vic & Tas seminar (post AGM)

Following the SSA Vic & Tas AGM  we will have the following seminar

Speaker: Jessica Kasza 

Title: Designing cluster randomised trials for the real world 

Abstract:  Although individually randomised trials are the gold standard for assessing the impact of new treatments on the outcomes of individuals, they aren’t always possible. In many situations, including when treatments are applied at the group (or “cluster”) level, cluster randomised trials must instead be conducted. Such designs are less efficient than individually randomised trials: that is, larger numbers of participants are required than for equivalent individually randomised trials. Longitudinal cluster randomised trials can claw back some of this lost efficiency, by instructing clusters to switch between treatments during the trial. Stepped wedge trials and cluster randomised crossover trials are two particular variants that have increasingly been applied to assess the impact of interventions. In these designs, clusters can be compared not only to other clusters, but also to themselves; leading to greater statistical power. However, this gain in power and efficiency comes at a price: these designs are burdensome and lack flexibility. Researchers have lamented the rigidity of these designs, and often face cluster recruitment and retention issues when conducting these trials. In this talk I’ll describe how talking with researchers about the problems they face in their trials has led to the development of more flexible and less burdensome designs – and to some interesting statistical theory!

Speaker Bio: Jessica Kasza is a Professor in Biostatistics in the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine at Monash University, and holds an NHMRC L1 Investigator Grant. She was the President of the Statistical Society of Australia from 2020-2022, and before that, President of the Victorian Branch of the SSA. At Monash University, she co-leads the Cluster Cluster: a group of researchers interested in all things to do with cluster randomised trials. She regularly collaborates with international leaders in the development of methodology for these designs, and is a trial statistician for several cluster randomised trials.