Using Classification and Regression Trees (CART) in SAS® Enterprise Miner TM For Applications in Public Health.

Classification and regression trees (CART) - a non-parametric methodology- were first introduced by Breiman and colleagues in 1984. In this paper they are employed using SAS® Enterprise Miner™ and several examples are given to demonstrate their use. CARTs are underused (especially in public health) and they have the ability to divide populations into meaningful subgroups which will allow the identification of groups of interest and enhance the provision of products and services accordingly. They provide a simple yet powerful analysis. It is hoped that their value is demonstrated and this will enhance their increased use in data analysis.