[R-sig-ME] Mixed Effects with Cox model (multiple events)

[Maria Helena Mourino Silva Nunes]

Dear all,

I want to describe the time interval between mammography screenings as a function of several clinical and demographic variables. For each woman, I have several events and each event corresponds to the time interval between two consecutive mammography screenings. Also, women's data sets come from ten different primary health centres. I have data from 1995 up to 2013.

I was thinking on developing a Cox regression model with multiple events (as, for instance, Andersen and Gill model). Having in mind there are differences between the primary health centres, I was wondering if I could use a mixed model where women were nested on the primary health centres. I've already tried to use the "coxme" package but it didn't work. Is it possible to use a mixed model in this context? What package should I use?

Thanks, in advanced, for your attention.

Best regards,
Helena Mouriño Nunes.