Prepare for the UCF HSC4501 Exam. Study with flashcards, quizzes, and detailed explanations to excel in epidemiology of chronic diseases.

Multiple Choice

Name two of Hill's criteria for causality.

Hill’s guidelines help decide whether an observed link might be causal in observational data. Two of these criteria are temporality and strength of association. Temporality means the exposure must precede the onset of the disease; if the disease occurs before or at the same time as the exposure, a causal interpretation isn’t plausible because a cause cannot come after its effect. Strength of association refers to how large the link is, usually measured by relative risk or odds ratio; a strong association makes it more likely that the relationship is real and not due to bias or random error, though it doesn’t prove causation by itself. Together with other criteria like consistency, dose–response, and plausibility, these two help researchers weigh whether an association could be causal.

Hill’s guidelines help decide whether an observed link might be causal in observational data. Two of these criteria are temporality and strength of association. Temporality means the exposure must precede the onset of the disease; if the disease occurs before or at the same time as the exposure, a causal interpretation isn’t plausible because a cause cannot come after its effect. Strength of association refers to how large the link is, usually measured by relative risk or odds ratio; a strong association makes it more likely that the relationship is real and not due to bias or random error, though it doesn’t prove causation by itself. Together with other criteria like consistency, dose–response, and plausibility, these two help researchers weigh whether an association could be causal.