Bayesian baseline-category logit random effects models for longitudinal nominal data

Baseline-category logit random effects models have been used to analyze longitudinal nominal data. The models account for subject-specific variations using random effects. However, the random effects covariance matrix in the models needs to explain subject-specific variations as well as serial correlations for nominal outcomes. In order to satisfy them, the covariance matrix must be heterogeneous and high-dimensional. However, it is difficult to estimate the random effects covariance matrix due to its high dimensionality and positive-definiteness. In this paper, we exploit the modified Cholesky decomposition to estimate the high-dimensional heterogeneous random effects covariance matrix. Bayesian methodology is proposed to estimate parameters of interest. The proposed methods are illustrated with real data from the McKinney Homeless Research Project.