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Related Concept Videos

Causality in Epidemiology01:21

Causality in Epidemiology

Causality or causation is a fundamental concept in epidemiology, vital for understanding the relationships between various factors and health outcomes. Despite its importance, there's no single, universally accepted definition of causality within the discipline. Drawing from a systematic review, causality in epidemiology encompasses several definitions, including production, necessary and sufficient, sufficient-component, counterfactual, and probabilistic models. Each has its strengths and...
Criteria for Causality: Bradford Hill Criteria - II01:28

Criteria for Causality: Bradford Hill Criteria - II

The Bradford Hill criteria serve as guidelines for establishing causative links in epidemiological research. Beyond Strength, Consistency, Specificity, and Temporality, key criteria also include Biological Gradient, Plausibility, Coherence, Experiment, and Analogy. These principles assist scientists in assessing the likelihood of causation in complex biological contexts. Below is a summary of these concepts:
Bias in Epidemiological Studies01:29

Bias in Epidemiological Studies

Biases can arise at various stages of research, from study design and data collection to analysis and interpretation. Recognizing and addressing these biases is essential to ensure the validity and reliability of epidemiological findings.Broadly speaking, biases in epidemiology fall into three main categories: selection bias, information bias, and confounding. A more detailed description of possible biases is:
Introduction to Epidemiology01:26

Introduction to Epidemiology

Epidemiology, known as the cornerstone of public health, involves studying the distribution and determinants of health-related events in defined populations and applying these insights to control health issues. This is essential for understanding how diseases spread, identifying populations at greater risk, and implementing measures to control or prevent outbreaks. Epidemiology addresses not only infectious diseases but also non-communicable conditions like cancer and cardiovascular disease,...
Criteria for Causality: Bradford Hill Criteria - I01:30

Criteria for Causality: Bradford Hill Criteria - I

The Bradford Hill criteria are a group of principles that provide a framework to determine a causal relationship between a specific factor and a disease. There are nine criteria that are pivotal in assessing causality in epidemiological studies. Here's a closer look at Strength, Consistency, Specificity, and Temporality criteria with definitions and examples:
Cause and Effect01:53

Cause and Effect

While variables are sometimes correlated because one does cause the other, it could also be that some other factor, a confounding variable, is actually causing the systematic movement in our variables of interest. For instance, as sales in ice cream increase, so does the overall rate of crime. Is it possible that indulging in your favorite flavor of ice cream could send you on a crime spree? Or, after committing crime do you think you might decide to treat yourself to a cone?

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 19, 2026

Inverse Probability of Treatment Weighting (Propensity Score) using the Military Health System Data Repository and National Death Index
06:55

Inverse Probability of Treatment Weighting (Propensity Score) using the Military Health System Data Repository and National Death Index

Published on: January 8, 2020

Variational causal claims in epidemiology.

Federica Russo1

  • 1Institut Supérieur de Philosophie, Université Catholique de Louvain, Belgium. f.russo@kent.ac.uk

Perspectives in Biology and Medicine
|October 27, 2009
PubMed
Summary

Epidemiology defines causes as "difference-makers" influencing disease distribution and health. This study argues for an evidence-based, variational approach to causality, integrating mechanistic insights.

Area of Science:

  • Epidemiology
  • Philosophy of Science
  • Causal Inference

Background:

  • Traditional causality often relies on regularity (Humean paradigm).
  • Epidemiological definitions of cause focus on 'difference-making' factors.
  • Existing definitions lack a clear metaphysical grounding.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the concept of 'cause' in epidemiological literature.
  • To propose an alternative framework for understanding epidemiological causality.
  • To integrate epistemological and methodological considerations in causal attribution.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of definitions of cause in epidemiological research.
  • Philosophical examination of causality and epistemology.
  • Application of Williamson's epistemic theory to epidemiological causality.

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 19, 2026

Inverse Probability of Treatment Weighting (Propensity Score) using the Military Health System Data Repository and National Death Index
06:55

Inverse Probability of Treatment Weighting (Propensity Score) using the Military Health System Data Repository and National Death Index

Published on: January 8, 2020

Main Results:

  • Epidemiological causality is rooted in a 'variational' epistemology and methodology, focusing on difference-making.
  • The Humean paradigm of regularity is contrasted with the variational approach.
  • Causal attribution in epidemiology depends on evidence and methodology, not fixed metaphysics.

Conclusions:

  • Epidemiological causality should be interpreted through an epistemic lens (Williamson's theory).
  • Establishing causal claims requires both difference-making evidence and mechanistic understanding.
  • This framework reconciles the 'difference-making' definition with epidemiological practice.