TY - JOUR
T1 - Causal inference in medicine - A historical view in epidemiology
AU - Tsuda, Toshihide
AU - Babazono, Akira
AU - Mino, Yoshio
AU - Matsuoka, Hiroaki
AU - Yamamoto, Eiji
N1 - Copyright:
Copyright 2017 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 1996
Y1 - 1996
N2 - Changes of causal inference concepts in medicine, especially those having to do with chronic diseases, were reviewed. The review is divided into five sections. First, several articles on the increased academic acceptance of observational research are cited. Second, the definitions of confounder and effect modifier concepts are explained. Third, the debate over the so-called "criteria for causal inference" was discussed. Many articles have pointed out various problems related to the lack of logical bases for standard criteria, however, such criteria continue to be misapplied in Japan. Fourth, the Popperian and verificationist concepts of causal inference are summarized. Lastly, a recent controversy on meta-analysis is explained. Causal inference plays an important role in epidemiologic theory and medicine. However, because this concept has not been well-introduced in Japan, there has been much misuse of the concept, especially when used for conventional criteria.
AB - Changes of causal inference concepts in medicine, especially those having to do with chronic diseases, were reviewed. The review is divided into five sections. First, several articles on the increased academic acceptance of observational research are cited. Second, the definitions of confounder and effect modifier concepts are explained. Third, the debate over the so-called "criteria for causal inference" was discussed. Many articles have pointed out various problems related to the lack of logical bases for standard criteria, however, such criteria continue to be misapplied in Japan. Fourth, the Popperian and verificationist concepts of causal inference are summarized. Lastly, a recent controversy on meta-analysis is explained. Causal inference plays an important role in epidemiologic theory and medicine. However, because this concept has not been well-introduced in Japan, there has been much misuse of the concept, especially when used for conventional criteria.
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U2 - 10.1265/jjh.51.558
DO - 10.1265/jjh.51.558
M3 - Review article
C2 - 8783873
AN - SCOPUS:0030188033
VL - 51
SP - 558
EP - 568
JO - Japanese Journal of Hygiene
JF - Japanese Journal of Hygiene
SN - 0021-5082
IS - 2
ER -