Causation

Question 1

What is Hill’s Criteria for Causation?

Answer 1

criteria that needs to be followed to establish a cause-and-effect relationship.

Question 2

How many criteria do you need to followed?

Answer 2

nine

Question 3

What is the first criterion?

Answer 3

Strength of Association - relationship is clear and risk estimate is high

Question 4

What is the second criterion?

Answer 4

Consistency - observation of association must be repeatable in different populations at different times

Question 5

What is the third criterion?

Answer 5

Specificity - a single cause produces a specific effect

Question 6

What is the fourth criterion?

Answer 6

Alternative Explanations - consideration of multiple hypotheses before making conclusions about whether an association is causal or not

Question 7

What is the fifth criterion?

Answer 7

Temporality - cause/exposure must precede the effect/outcome

Question 8

What is the sixth criterion?

Answer 8

Dose-Response Relationship - an increasing amount of exposure increases the risk

Question 9

What is the seventh criterion?

Answer 9

Biological Plausibility - the association agrees with currently accepted understanding of biological and pathological processes

Question 10

What is the eighth criterion?

Answer 10

Experimental Evidence - the condition can be altered, either prevented or accelerated, by an appropriate experimental process

Question 11

What is the ninth criterion?

Answer 11

Coherence - the association should be compatible with existing theory and knowledge, including knowledge of past cases and epidemiological studies