A Semiparametric Sequential Ordinal Model with Applications to Analyse First Birth Intervals
Authors:
Lawrence Kazembe
Source:
Austrian Journal of Statistics, 38(2): 83–99
Topic(s):
Birth interval Spatial analysis
Country:
Africa
Malawi
Published:
JUL 2009
Abstract:
A semiparametric sequential ordinal model is proposed to analyze
socio-demographic and spatial determinants of first birth intervals after
marriage. Random effects are introduced to capture spatially structured and
unstructured latent covariates. The structured effects are modelled by assuming
conditional autoregressive priors, and for the unstructured effects we use
an exchangeable Gaussian prior, while the smooth effects of continuous covariates
are modelled by penalized splines. Inference is based on the mixed
model approach. The model is applied to data from a cross-sectional survey.
Compared to a spatial parametric predictor, the spatial semiparametric model
better fits the data.
Keywords: Mixed-Model based Inference, Spatial Modelling, Malawi.