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  • Unbalanced panel data, which approach?

    Hello,

    I am trying to understand which are the determinants of life expectancy in OECD countries. I have 35 countries and 10 years. The dependent variable are healthcare expenditure, gini coefficient and lifestyle variables such as tobacco consumption. I would like to use panel data with fixed effect both for countries and time. The problem is that my panel is unbalanced. Since I am an undergraduate student I only knew about balanced panel. So I had to investigate.

    I would like to use the approach described in 9.4 and 9.4.1 of Baltagi 2005(Baltagi 2005 Econometric Analysis of Panel data,third edition,Wiley), which is to say the ubalanced two way error component model.

    Which is the stata command that allows me to do so? And do you think is a correct approach?

    Thank you.
    Last edited by Kristian Romano; 12 Feb 2017, 12:00.

  • #2
    Hello Kristian.

    Welcome to the Stata Forum.

    Unfortunately, you didn't present much information on your data, I mean, in terms of Stata's "xtdescribe" and "xtset", for example.

    You said: "the problem is that my panel is unbalanced". However, this is not necessarily a problem.

    You may wish to apply - tsfill - and -ipolate - to cope with that.

    Here, you may wish to read a Forum discussion on a similar matter: http://www.statalist.org/forums/foru...panel-in-stata

    Hopefully that helps.
    Best regards,

    Marcos

    Comment


    • #3
      Thank you professor Almeida, I will look at the link you gave me and after I have finished to build my data set I will post the result of xtdescribe

      Best regards,

      Kristian

      Comment


      • #4
        Kristian:
        as Marcos said, Stata can handle both balanced and unbalanced panel dataset without any problem: hence, this is not the main issue there, whereas implementing a two way error component model probably is (please, see https://www.stata.com/statalist/arch.../msg00829.html).
        Besides, you seemingly meant that -healthcare expenditure- and so forth are your independent variables, whereas life expectancy is the dependent one.
        Eventually, echoing Marcos's wise advice, you should provide more details on your panel data (-dataex- and CODE delimiters are surely useful in this respect)
        Kind regards,
        Carlo
        (Stata 18.0 SE)

        Comment


        • #5
          xtset B C
          panel variable: B (strongly balanced)
          time variable: C, 2001 to 2011
          delta: 1 unit

          xtdescribe

          B: 1, 2, ..., 35 n = 35
          C: 2001, 2002, ..., 2011 T = 11
          Delta(C) = 1 unit
          Span(C) = 11 periods
          (B*C uniquely identifies each observation)

          Distribution of T_i: min 5% 25% 50% 75% 95% max
          11 11 11 11 11 11 11

          Freq. Percent Cum. | Pattern
          ---------------------------+-------------
          35 100.00 100.00 | 11111111111
          ---------------------------+-------------
          35 100.00 | XXXXXXXXXXX

          .
          Hope it helps.

          Best Regards,
          Kristian

          Comment


          • #6
            However, since I only have 11 years, I can insert 10 dummies and then run a one way error component model. How can I do it since my panel is unbalanced?

            Comment


            • #7
              obs: 385
              vars: 16 14 Feb 2017 22:25
              size: 46,970

              storage display value
              variable name type format label variable label

              Country str15 %15s Country
              ID byte %10.0g ID country
              year int %10.0g year
              lifeexp double %10.0g life expectancy
              hexp double %10.0g h. expenditure
              alc double %10.0g alcohol
              fat double %10.0g fat
              fruit double %10.0g fruit
              gini double %10.0g gini
              obs double %10.0g obesity
              prot double %10.0g prot
              sug double %10.0g sugar
              veg double %10.0g vegetables
              ins double %10.0g insurance
              tob double %10.0g tobacco
              gdp double %10.0g gdp

              Sorted by: ID year



              If you need I can post the whole dataset as attachment.

              Best Regards,
              Kristian
              Last edited by Kristian Romano; 14 Feb 2017, 15:18.

              Comment


              • #8
                Kristian:
                as you're seemingly dealing with a large N, small T panel dataset, I think you should go -xtreg- (with -fe-or -re- specification).
                Please, give it a try and then post what you typed and what Stata gave you back within CODE delimiters (attachments are usually deperecated; examples/excerpts via -dataex- are highly welcomed).
                Kind regards,
                Carlo
                (Stata 18.0 SE)

                Comment


                • #9
                  According to #5, the data is "strongly balanced".
                  Best regards,

                  Marcos

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Marcos:
                    xtset calls a panel "strongly balanced" if there is a row in the data set for each panel-time combination in the range of these two identifiers. It does not check whether any of the other variables in the data set contain missing values, which constitutes an unbalanced panel in the econometric sense.

                    Kristian:
                    That said, you can still just use the xtreg command (or almost any other command of interest) in the usual way as already suggested by Carlo. Just add the 10 time dummies and Stata will take care of everything else. You only need to be aware that the underlying econometric assumption is that there is no systematic sample selection.
                    https://twitter.com/Kripfganz

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Thanks for clarifying it, Sebastian.

                      With regards to unbalanced panels, I gather all previous comments and advice, including #2 (where -tsfill - and -ipolate - are mentioned), are still valid.
                      Last edited by Marcos Almeida; 15 Feb 2017, 06:53.
                      Best regards,

                      Marcos

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Attached you find the results of des xtreg and codebook. I was not able to post directly here.

                        Best regards,

                        Kristian
                        Attached Files

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Kristian:
                          -as per FAQ, attachments are deprecated, whereas excerpts/examples of your dataset via -dataex- (please, do not give in so quickly; type -search dataex- to install it before using it);
                          - the best way to post what you typed and what Stata gave you back is via CODE delimiters;
                          You have a sky-rocketing number of predictors vs you sample size: yo have to go for a more parsimonious model: if you can't increase your sample size, you can plug in no more than 3-4 predictors.
                          As per your results, you probably have an underlying multicollinearity issue.
                          As a closing-out remark, please note that it is risky to post your Stata serial licence number and it is absolutely immaterial for getting helpful replies on this list.
                          Kind regards,
                          Carlo
                          (Stata 18.0 SE)

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Dear professor Lazzaro,

                            I am sorry, I will delete the previous post.

                            Best
                            Kristian

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Kristian:
                              you can delete your thread within 1 hour from posting it.
                              However, there's no need to delete it; it suffices reading the FAQ before your next post.
                              As a closing-out remark, please call me Carlo, just like all on the list (and even more off the list) do.
                              Kind regards,
                              Carlo
                              (Stata 18.0 SE)

                              Comment

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