Multinomial Group Testing with Small-Sized Pools and Application to California HIV Data: Bayesian and Bootstrap Approaches

This paper consider multinomial group testing which is concerned with classification each of N given units into one of k disjoint categories. In this paper, we propose exact Bayesian, approximate Bayesian, bootstrap methods for estimating individual category proportions using the multinomial group testing model proposed by Bar-Lev et al (2005). By the comparison of Mcan Squre Error (MSE), it is shown that the exact Bayesian method has a bettor efficiency and consistency than maximum likelihood method. We suggest an approximate Bayesian approach using Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) for posterior computation. We derive exact credible intervals based on the exact Bayesian estimators and present confidence intervals using the bootstrap and MCMC. These intervals arc shown to often have better coverage properties and similar mean lengths to maximum likelihood method already available. Furthermore the proposed models are illustrated using data from a HIV blooding test study throughout California, 2000.