From Association to Causation: Deriving Inferences from Epidemiologic Studies

A collection of flashcards covering essential terms and concepts from epidemiology related to causation and association.

Causal Pathways

Refers to the mechanisms through which a cause leads to a disease, which can be direct (without intermediate steps) or indirect (through intermediate factors).

Koch's Postulates

A set of criteria to establish a causal relationship between a microbe and a disease, originally outlined by Robert Koch.

Necessary Condition

A causal factor whose presence is required for a disease to occur.

Sufficient Condition

A set of factors that can produce a disease; if present, the disease will occur.

Web of Causation

A model that illustrates the multiple causes and pathways leading to disease, emphasizing that many diseases result from multiple factors.

Multifactorial Disease

Diseases caused by a complex interplay of various environmental, behavioral, and constitutional factors.

Dose-Response Relationship

The relationship between the quantity of exposure to a risk factor and the incidence or severity of the disease.

Strength of Association

A measure of how strongly a specific exposure is linked to a particular disease.

Biologic Plausibility

The degree to which a causal relationship is consistent with existing biological and medical knowledge.

Replication of Findings

The expectation that similar findings should be observed across different studies if an association is truly causal.

Cessation of Exposure

The concept that the incidence of a disease should decrease if the associated exposure is eliminated.

Randomized Control Trials (RCTs)

A type of study design that randomly assigns participants into an experimental group or a control group to assess the efficacy of an intervention.

Epidemiological Triad

A model representing the interaction between host, agent, and environment in disease causation.

Confounding Variables

Factors that may distort the observed relationship between an exposure and an outcome, leading to invalid conclusions.

Temporal Relationship

A causal guideline stipulating that exposure must precede the outcome in order for causality to be established.

Consideration of Alternate Explanations

The process of evaluating other possible causes for an observed association before concluding a causal relationship.

Specificity of the Association

A criterion suggesting that a cause should lead to a specific effect, however, some diseases may not follow this rule.

Population Attributable Risk (PAR)

The proportion of disease in the population that can be attributed to a specific risk factor.

Indirect Effects

Effects that occur through an intermediary rather than directly as a result of the exposure.

Direct Effects

Effects that occur as a direct consequence of exposure without any intermediaries.