Estimating Distributed Lag Models from Cross Section Data

The Case of Hospital Admissions and Discharges


Charles R. Nelson

University of Washington, Seattle, WA
and National Bureau of Economic Research


G. William Schwert

University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627
and National Bureau of Economic Research


Journal of the American Statistical Association, 69 (September 1974) 627-633


It is natural to think of estimating distributed lag models from time series data since it is time series contexts that such models arise. This article studies the estimation of rational distributed lags in the context of hospital admissions and discharges where a relevant body of cross-section data exists in the form of lengths-of-stay and appears to be more appropriate for this purpose than do the available time series data. The cross-section approach presumably has applications in many situations in which length-of-stay in the system or its counterpart can be observed.

Key words: Hospital, Length-of-stay, Distributed lag, Maximum likelihood

JEL Classifications: C22


Cited 3 times in the SSCI through April 1996

© Copyright 1974, American Statistical Association
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