Question

Which of the following variables would be used as a dependent variable in logistic regression?

a) The number of days of school a student missed in a week

b) The distribution of whites, blacks, and Hispanics in a sample

c) The birth weight of newborn babies

d) The presence or absence of cardiovascular disease

Answer 1

d) The presence or absence of cardiovascular disease

The dependent variable is the variable over which the researcher do not have any control. In the 4 examples of variables given, all other variables can be controlled by the researcher and corresponding change in the other variable with respect to change in this variable can be measured. But in case of 'presence or absence of cardiovascular disease', the researcher uses another variables which he/she can control, to understand how this variable responds.