Strategies to fit pattern-mixture models

Abstract

Whereas most models for incomplete longitudinal data are formulated within the selection model framework, pattern-mixture models have gained considerable interest in recent years (Little, 1993, 1994). In this paper, we outline several strategies to fit pattern-mixture models, including the so-called identifying restrictions strategy. Multiple imputation is used to apply this strategy to realistic settings, such as quality-of-life data from a longitudinal study on metastatic breast cancer patients.