Guidelines for Causal Association

Question 1

Purpose

Answer 1

• Defined as guidelines of most value
• When coupled with reasoned judgment about entire body of available evidences, it HELPS researchers make informed conclusions concerning the extension and strength of a causal association

Question 2

Temporal Relationship

Answer 2

o Timing: exposure prior to outcome

Question 3

Strength of Association

Answer 3

o RR/OR

Question 4

Biological Plausibility

Answer 4

o Findings supported by common biological theories of outcome being studied

Question 5

Specificity of Association

Answer 5

o (1) exposure for (1) disease

o WEAKEST guideline

Question 6

Dose-Response Relationship

Answer 6

o As dose of exposure increases, so does the acuity of the outcome
o Can also be that amount of doses needs to meet a certain threshold amount for outcome to prevalent

Question 7

Replication of Findings

Answer 7

o Same findings in different subgroups of populations and different populations as well
o Different study designs

Question 8

Consistency with other knowledge

Answer 8

If a relationship is causal , we would expect the findings to be consistent with other data

Question 9

Consideration of alternate explanations

Answer 9

Able to address and rule out alternative explanations

Question 10

Cessation of exposure

Answer 10

When exposure is reduced or eliminated, outcome is expected to decline