WEIGHTED LEAST-SQUARES ANALYSIS OF REPEATED CATEGORICAL MEASUREMENTS WITH OUTCOMES SUBJECT TO NONRESPONSE

In this paper, we describe a two-step weighted least squares method for analyzing repeated categorical outcomes when some individuals are not observed at all times of follow-up. Other weighted least squares methods for analyzing repeated measures data with missing responses have previously been proposed by Koch, Imrey, and Reinfurt (1972, Biometrics 28, 663-692) and Woolson and Clarke (1984, Journal of the Royal Statistical Society, Series A 147, 87-99). These methods give consistent estimators if the responses are missing completely at random, as discussed in Rubin (1976, Biometrika 63, 581-592). We propose a two-step method that will give consistent results under the weaker condition of missing at random, and compare it with the other two methods.