Bayesian survival analysis (Q5940706)

The focus of this book is on describing the Bayesian approach to survival analysis. The scope is very broad; several types of models are discussed, including parametric and semiparametric models, proportional and nonproportional hazards models, frailty models, cure rate models, joint models for longitudinal and survival data, models with time-varying covariates, missing covariate data, accelerated failure time data, models for multivariate survival data, and hierarchical models. Estimating and testing techniques based on Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) and the Gibbs sampler are discussed and demonstrated by the use of the statistical package BUGS. Baseline hazards and distributions are modelled in a Bayesian framework with beta, (correlated) gamma, and Dirichlet processes, and regression parameters usually by normal or uniform prior distributions. Each chapter contains a set of exercises, which adds to the suitability of this book as a graduate textbook for a one- or two-semester course in Bayesian survival analysis.