Understanding Bradford-Hill Criteria

What are the Bradford-Hill criteria used for?

• The Bradford-Hill criteria are used to assess causality in epidemiological studies.

• To analyze genetic mutations in populations

• To determine the prevalence of diseases

• To evaluate the effectiveness of vaccines

List the nine Bradford-Hill criteria.

• Effectiveness, Relevance, Consistency

• Correlation, Relevance, Uniqueness

• The nine criteria are: Strength, Consistency, Specificity, Temporality, Biological gradient, Plausibility, Coherence, Experiment, and Analogy.

• Simplicity, Reproducibility, Relevance

Which criterion assesses the strength of association?

• Standard deviation

• Variance

• Mean difference

• Correlation coefficient or odds ratio

What does the criterion of 'temporality' refer to?

• The aspect of time related to events or conditions.

• The evaluation of conditions based on their quality.

• The classification of events based on their importance.

• The measurement of physical distance between objects.

Explain the significance of 'biological gradient' in the criteria.

• The biological gradient is significant as it demonstrates a dose-response relationship, reinforcing the causal link between exposure and disease.

• It highlights the psychological effects of exposure on individuals.

• It shows the historical context of disease outbreaks.

• It indicates the genetic predisposition to diseases.

How does 'consistency' contribute to causal inference?

• Consistency contributes to causal inference by ensuring stable and reliable causal relationships across different contexts.

• Consistency guarantees the presence of a causal effect in every situation.

• Consistency is irrelevant in establishing causal relationships.

• Consistency only applies to statistical data analysis.

What is meant by 'specificity' in the Bradford-Hill criteria?

• Specificity means that any exposure can lead to multiple outcomes.

• Specificity refers to the overall strength of an association.

• Specificity indicates the generalizability of findings across different populations.

• Specificity in the Bradford-Hill criteria indicates that a specific exposure is associated with a specific outcome.

Describe the 'plausibility' criterion.

• The 'plausibility' criterion assesses the emotional impact of a statement.

• The 'plausibility' criterion evaluates the reasonableness of a statement based on evidence and context.

• The 'plausibility' criterion determines the length of a statement.

• The 'plausibility' criterion measures the popularity of a statement.

Why is 'analogy' important in establishing causation?

• Analogy is irrelevant to causation and should be avoided.

• Analogy is important in establishing causation because it allows us to infer potential causal relationships by comparing similar situations.

• Causation can only be established through statistical analysis, not analogy.

• Analogy is only useful for artistic comparisons, not scientific reasoning.

How can the Bradford-Hill criteria be applied in public health research?

• The Bradford-Hill criteria focus solely on statistical analysis without considering causation.

• The Bradford-Hill criteria help establish causal relationships in public health research.

• The Bradford-Hill criteria are used to measure the effectiveness of vaccines.

• The Bradford-Hill criteria are only applicable in clinical trials, not public health research.