27. ROTHMAN'S CAUSALITY PIES

Question 1

1. What do these charts show?

Answer 1

• they show that any given outcome has a combination
  of specific causes

THIS MEANS THAT:
- each individual case of the outcome
- is caused by a different combination of these causes

Question 2

2. Does this diagram make sense?

Answer 2

• yes

Question 3

3. What can we say about this example?

Answer 3

• all of these causes for Type 2 Diabetes
• are neither Necessary nor Sufficient
• no cause is common for all 3 cases

Question 4

4. What can we say about this example?

Answer 4

• HPV is a sufficient cause
• but it is not a necessary cause for Cervical Cancer

NB:
- there is no common cause
- HPV alone can cause Cervical Cancer

Question 5

5. What can we say about this example.

Answer 5

• High LDL Cholesterol is a necessary cause
• it is common along all 3 cases
• it is not a sufficient cause for Atherosclerosis

Question 6

6. What can we say about this example?

Answer 6

• A pathogenic mutation in the HTT genes is necessary and sufficient for Huntington’s Disease

Question 7

7. What can be said about the causes of Chronic Diseases?

Answer 7

• they do not have necessary and sufficient causes
• most of their factors are neither necessary nor
  sufficient

Question 8

8. What can be said about the causes of Infectious diseases and Genetic (monogenic) diseases?

Answer 8

• they usually have a single cause that is necessary and
  sufficient