Question

For the question below containing an excerpt, indicate which of the criteria for causation (proposed by A. B. Hill, circa 1964 or earlier) is/are being addressed (you may choose more than one).

A. Strength of Association

B. Consistency

C. Temporality

D. Dose response, or biologic gradient

E. Biologic plausibility

F. Specificity

G. Coherence

H. Experiment

I. Analogy

______ [From a study of whether Hispanics are more likely than whites to experience disability] “Mexican-American participants in the 1978-1980 Health Interview Survey were more likely than non-Hispanic whites to report limitations in their activity. Data from the 1987 National Medical Expenditure Survey suggested the opposite pattern, with Hispanics reporting less functional limitation than non-Hispanic whites. Haan and Weldon presented data suggesting that Hispanic disability may be more evident among persons with at least two of the chronic illnesses of diabetes, stroke and hypertension.”

Answer 1

1) The criteria for causation being adressed here are-

• Strength of association- Hispanic disability is more evident only when the subject has two of the chronic illnesses from the three mentioned above i.e. diabetes, stroke and hypertension. The relative risk is high enough to cause the effect of disability.
• Dose reponse or biological gradient- The higher the severity of the chronic condition, greater is the chance of a hispanic disability and the extent of it.

answered by: anonymous