F1. PROCESS OF CAUSAL INFERENCE.

Question 1

Process of Causal Inference:

Answer 1

Determine the:
1. VALIDITY of the ASSOCIATION.
2. OBSERVED ASSOCIATION is CAUSAL.

Question 2

rule out chance, bias, confounding as explanation of the observed association

RULE OUT = REMOVE.

Answer 2

VALIDITY OF THE ASSOCIATION.

Question 3

consider totality of evidence taken from a number of source

Answer 3

OBSERVED ASSOCIATION IS CAUSAL.

Question 4

2 ways of detemining the VALIDITY of the ASSOCIATION.

Answer 4

1. Internal Validity.
2. External Validity.

Question 5

• validity WITHIN the study.
• ACCURATE estimate of effect measure.
• NOT due to SYSTEMATIC ERROR.

Answer 5

Internal Validity.

Question 6

• validity BEYOND the study
• Estimate generalizable to bigger population
• NOT due to RANDOM ERROR.

Answer 6

External Validity.