Inference on the Univariate Frailty Model: A Bayesian Reference Analysis Approach

In this work we present an approach involving objective Bayesian reference analysis to the Frailty model with univariate survival time and sources of heterogeneity that are not captured by covariates. The derivation unconditional hazard and survival leads to the Lomax distribution, also known as the Pareto distribution of the second kind. This distribution has an important position in life testing to adjust data from business failures. Reference analysis, introduced by Bernardo (1979) produce a new solution for this problem. The results are illustrated with survival data analyzed in the literature and simulated data.