title: Statistical methods for panel data from a semi-Markov process, with application to HPV.
abstract: Continuous-time, multistate processes can be used to represent a variety of biological processes in the public health sciences; yet the analysis of such processes is complex when they are observed only at a limited number of time points. Inference methods for such panel data have been developed for time homogeneous Markov models, but there has been little research done for other classes of processes. We develop likelihood-based methods for panel data from a semi-Markov process, where transition intensities depend on the duration of time in the current state. The proposed methods account for possible misclassification of states. To illustrate the methods, we investigate a three- and a four-state models in detail and apply the results to model the natural history of oncogenic genital human papillomavirus infections in women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, Harvard University School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA. mkang@hsph.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Minhee
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Stephen W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Lagakos
mesh_terms: D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005260:Female; D052162:Human papillomavirus 16 / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D008390:Markov Chains; D008954:Models, Biological; D015233:Models, Statistical; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology; D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010865:Pilot Projects; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology*; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines