Causal Inference Flashcards
(33 cards)
What is causal inference?
Causal inference evaluates whether the exposure-outcome relationship found is truly that of cause and effect.
Causal inference is crucial in epidemiology and research to determine the validity of observed associations.
Define ‘Cause’ according to Rothman & Greenland.
An event, condition, or characteristic that preceded the disease event and without which the disease event either would not have occurred at all or would not have occurred until some later time.
This definition emphasizes the temporal relationship and necessity of causes in disease occurrence.
List the four approaches to causal inference.
- Bradford-Hill Criteria
- Sufficient/Component Causal Pies
- Counterfactual Ideal
- Causal Diagrams or Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG)
Each approach provides a distinct framework for understanding causal relationships in epidemiological studies.
What is the Bradford-Hill Criteria?
A set of principles that can be used to determine whether an observed association is likely to be causal.
The criteria include factors such as strength, consistency, specificity, temporality, biological gradient, plausibility, coherence, experiment, and analogy.
What are Sufficient/Component Causal Pies?
A model that illustrates how various factors (components) can contribute to a sufficient cause that leads to an outcome.
This approach highlights that multiple factors can interact to produce a disease.
Explain the Counterfactual Ideal.
A conceptual framework that considers what would have happened to the same subjects in the absence of the exposure.
This ideal is often used in randomized controlled trials to assess causal relationships.
What are Causal Diagrams or Directed Acyclic Graphs (DAG)?
Visual representations that map out the relationships between variables in a causal framework.
DAGs help in understanding the direction and nature of causal relationships and are useful in identifying confounding variables.
What is the first criterion of the Bradford-Hill Criteria?
Strength of the association: There is a strong association between the exposure and the outcome (e.g., large RR or OR).
What does the consistency criterion in the Bradford-Hill Criteria refer to?
Multiple studies found similar results.
What is meant by specificity in the Bradford-Hill Criteria?
The exposure/agent results in a specific outcome.
What does temporality refer to in the Bradford-Hill Criteria?
The exposure/agent precedes the outcome.
Fill in the blank: The Biological Gradient, also called ________, indicates that an increase in the magnitude or duration of the exposure increases the risk of the outcome.
dose-response relationship
What does plausibility mean in the context of the Bradford-Hill Criteria?
There is a possible mechanism of action or pathway (e.g., biological) between the exposure and the outcome.
What is coherence in the Bradford-Hill Criteria?
The exposure-outcome relationship is in line with what is already known about the exposure and the outcome.
What does the experiment criterion in the Bradford-Hill Criteria suggest?
Removal of the exposure reduces or eliminates the outcome.
What is the analogy criterion in the Bradford-Hill Criteria?
The exposure-outcome relationship is similar to other exposure-outcome relationships previously studied.
What is the only criterion that every epidemiologist agrees must be true to make a causal claim?
Temporality: the exposure/agent precedes the outcome.
What is a sufficient cause in the context of disease?
A minimal set of factors that unavoidably produce disease
Sufficient causes can be thought of as the complete mechanism leading to a disease.
How can sufficient cause be conceptualized?
As a disease process or disease pathway
This conceptualization helps in understanding the progression of disease.
Can there be multiple sufficient causes for one disease?
Yes, there may be several sufficient causes of one disease
This indicates the complexity of disease etiology.
What is a component cause?
Each factor in a sufficient cause
Component causes are essential elements that contribute to the occurrence of a disease.
What is a necessary cause?
A component that is present in every sufficient cause
Necessary causes are indispensable for the disease to occur.
Fill in the blank: A sufficient cause can also be thought of as a _______.
[disease process]
This highlights the pathway through which a disease manifests.
True or False: A necessary cause is a type of component cause.
True
Necessary causes are specific types of component causes.
