Dental Caries Risk Studies Revisited: Causal Approaches Needed for Future Inquiries

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Jolanta Aleksejūnienė²  Dorthe Holst¹ 

[1] Department of Community Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Oslo, Blindern POB 1052, 0316 Oslo, Norway; E-Mail:;Department of Oral Health Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of British Columbia, 2199 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada

关键词: caries risk;    prediction;    multi-risk;    explanation;    causal studies;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ijerph6122992

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Prediction of high-risk individuals and the multi-risk approach are common inquiries in caries risk epidemiology. These studies prepared the ground for future studies; specific hypotheses about causal patterns can now be formulated and tested applying advanced statistical methods designed for causal studies, such as structural equation modeling, path analysis and multilevel modeling. Causal studies should employ measurements, analyses and interpretation of findings, which are in accordance to causal aims. Examples of causal empirical studies from medical and oral research are presented.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2009 by the authors; licensee Molecular Diversity Preservation International, Basel, Switzerland.