Question

Differentiate between association and causation using the casual guidelines. discuss which of the guidelines you think is the most difficult to establish. discuss the four types of casual relationships with examples

Answer 1

#. Association is a statistical relationship between an exposure and disease

#. Causation implies that there is an association and a true mechanism that leads from exposure to disease .

#. Four types of casual relationship are :-

Necessary and sufficient: Without that factor, the disease never develops (thefactor is necessary), and in the presence of that factor, the disease alwaysdevelops (the factor is sufficient).

Necessary, but not sufficient: In another model, each factor is necessary, butnot, in itself, sufficient to cause the disease

Sufficient, but not necessary: In this model, the factor alone can produce thedisease, but so can other factors that are acting alone.

Neither sufficient nor necessary: In the fourth model, a factor, by itself, isneither sufficient nor necessary to produce disease. This is a more complexmodel, which probably most accurately represents the causal relationshipsthat operate in most chronic diseases