Explain the concept of ‘causation’ and describe the most common epidemiological study designs.
Causation should include the following:
1. Factors in Causation
• Predisposing factors
• Enabling factors
• Precipitating factors
• Reinforcing factors
2. Types of causal relationships
3. Bradford-Hill criteria
Temporal relation
Plausibility
Consistency
Strength
Dose-response relationship
Reversibility
Study design
Judging the evidence
And Epidemiological study designs
1 Types of studies
1.1 Observational studies
a. ecological
b. cross-sectional
c. case-control
d. cohort
1.2 Experimental studies
a. Randomized controlled trials
b. Field Trials
c. Community Trials