Section 3: 7 Causal Concepts Flashcards
What does the “natural history of disease” mean?
progression of disease in an individual over time
What are the 4 stages considered when analyzing the natural history of disease?
- Susceptibility
- Sub-clinical (incubation)
- Clinical
- Recovery, disability or death
What is the goal of intervention during the susceptibility stage?
reduce new occurrences
What is the goal of intervention during the sub-clinical stage?
reduce duration and severity
What is the goal of intervention during the clinical stage?
reduce complications and disabilities
What is the concept of multi-causality?
Cause is the cumulative effects of multiple factors acting together (“causal interaction”) – Causal factors almost never act alone
What is the induction period during multi-causal “incubation”?
time between causal action and disease initiation
What is the latency period during multi-causal “incubation”?
time between disease initiation and
detection
What is the empirical induction period during multi-causal “incubation”?
induction period + latency period
What is Rothman & Greenland’s (1998) definition of “cause”?
– any event, act, or condition
– preceding disease
– without which disease would not have occurred
– or would have occurred at later time
What is a “necessary cause” in a causal pie?
a factor found in all cases
What is a “contributing cause” in a causal pie?
a non-necessary factor that is needed in some cases
What is “sufficiency” in the context of a causal pie?
the presence of a combination of factors that make disease inevitable – a completed “pie”
What is a causal complement?
a factor or set of factors that complete a sufficient causal mechanism (pie)
