The Selection tab is used to select the records to be included in the analysis. If no selection statements are made on the Selection tab, all records in the database will be included. Selection statements reduce the number of records included in an analysis based on specific variables.
The Selection tab and Table tab are often confused; please read Selection Tab vs. Table Tab to avoid common mistakes.
The Selection tab in a Rate session consists of three boxes. Click the Edit button next to each box to create or modify a selection statement in that box. Click the Clear button next to each box to delete its current selection statement.
Each variable in the database appears in only one of the three boxes on the Rate session's Selection tab.
The box at the top must be used to create selection statements based on variables that are found in all three types of data used to calculate age-adjusted rates. Age is the only variable used to stratify standard population, population, and case data. In this box, SEER*Stat will not allow you to create selection statements based on variables other than the age variable that is in all three data sources (an "Age recode" variable, in SEER databases).
The middle box must be used to select based on variables found in both the population and case data. The label above the box is provided as a guide: "Race, Sex, Year Dx, Registry, County" are the variables that are not in the standard population data but are in both the case and population data.
The third box must be used to select based on variables that are found only in the case data. This includes cancer-specific variables such as stage at diagnosis, histology, site, etc. Note that there are demographic variables in case data files that are not included in the population or standard population data. These include marital status, place of birth, and alternate race, age, and date variables. It is rarely, if ever, appropriate to use these variables in a Rate session.
When making selections in a Rate session, make your selection in the topmost possible box. For example, never make selections based on race or age in the case-only box at the bottom. That would result in erroneous statistics because inappropriate populations were used as the denominators in the calculations. (Note: a warning message will be displayed if you attempt to execute a session with this error. However, not all erroneous situations can be identified by SEER*Stat; therefore, you must exercise care.)
This option is only available when the database selected on the Data tab is a multiple primary ready database. When it is checked, only the first record for each person which matches the selection criteria will be included in your analysis.