Environ Health Toxicol.
2017 ;32(1):e2017015. 10.5620/eht.e2017015.
Causal inference in environmental epidemiology
- Affiliations
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- 1Department of Preventive Medicine, Dankook University College of Medicine, Cheonan, Korea. minaha@dku.edu
- 2Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Inha University School of Medicine, Incheon, Korea.
- 3Gimhae Clinic Occupational Health Center, Inje University, Gimhae, Korea.
- 4Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Gachon University School of Medicine, Incheon, Korea.
- 5Department of Preventive Medicine, Dong-A University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea.
- KMID: 2411247
- DOI: http://doi.org/10.5620/eht.e2017015
Abstract
- Inferring causality is necessary to achieve the goal of epidemiology, which is to elucidate the cause of disease. Causal inference is conducted in three steps: evaluation of validity of the study, inference of general causality, and inference of individual causality. To evaluate validity of the study, we propose a checklist that focuses on biases and generalizability. For general causal inference, we recommend utilizing Hill's 9 viewpoints. Lastly, individual causality can be inferred based on the general causality and evidence of exposure. Additional considerations may be needed for social or legal purposes; however, these additional considerations should be based on the scientific truth elucidated by the causal inference described in the present article.
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