3.3 Groups File

The Groups file is optional. This file must be specified if tables or figures are requested (using the Table File and/or Figure File). This file defines the cohort or analysis groups to include in the report and their order. Table 3.5 contains detailed specifications for this file.

Table 3.5: GROUPSFILE specification
Parameter Field Name Description
GROUP/ANALYSISGRP to include in report GROUP Name of each cohort or analysis to include in report.
Note 1: GROUP must correspond to values of COHORTGRP/ANALYSISGRP included in distributed input files.
Note 2: for Type 6 (Manufacturer-Level Product Utilization and Switching Pattern) reports, include COHORTGRP values if requesting medical product utilization tables and/or ANALYSISGRP values if requesting switching tables.
Note 3: all GROUP values must be unique from all other GROUP and ANALYSISGRP values. The same GROUP cannot be used in more than one run of the query request package.
Format: SAS character $40; no special characters (e.g., commas, periods, hyphens, spaces, etc.) allowed, and underscores must be used to mark spaces.
Example: insulin
Group Display Order ORDER Unique number for each group. This is used to determine the order of groups in the report. All groups should receive a unique ORDER value. ORDER values should start at 1 and be contiguous.
Format: Numeric
Example: 1
RunID Corresponding to GROUP RUNID RunID assigned to the run that corresponds to the group name listed in GROUP.
Format: SAS character $5
Example: r01
Distribution of Exposure or Outcome Codes CODEDIST Identifier for whether to report distribution of index-defining codes, outcome-defining codes, or both for specified GROUP (if requesting code distribution results).
Valid values are:
  • EXP: exposure
  • HOI: health outcome of interest
  • EXP HOI: exposure and health outcome of interest
Note 1: leave blank if DISTINDEX = N or if code distribution output is not requested.
Format: SAS character $7
Example: EXP
Limit of Code Combinations to Output TOPNCODEDIST Option to restrict code distribution results to the top N most frequent code combinations, where N is the number of results desired.
Note 1: if CODEDIST is blank, then TOPNCODEDIST should be left blank.
Format: Numeric
Example: 10
Include in Figure INCLUDEINFIGURE Option to specify whether GROUP should be included in L1 figure(s).
Valid values are:
  • Y: Include in figure
  • N: Do not include in figure
Format: SAS character $1
Example: Y
Include Negative Time INCLUDENEGATIVETIME Option to specify whether to include negative time to switch, negative product uptake, and negative duration in Type 6 tables and figures.
Valid values are:
  • Y: Include negative time
  • N: Do not include negative time
Format: SAS character $1
Example: Y