Causal and Associational Language in Observational Health Research: A Systematic Evaluation.

Haber, NA; Wieten, SE; Rohrer, JM; Arah, OA; Tennant, PW; Stuart, EA; Murray, EJ; Pilleron, S; Lam, ST; Riederer, E; +39 more...Howcutt, SJ; Simmons, AE; Leyrat, CORCID logo; Schoenegger, P; Booman, A; Dufour, MK; O'Donoghue, AL; Baglini, R; Do, S; Takashima, Mari De La Rosa; Evans, TR; Rodriguez-Molina, D; Alsalti, TM; Dunleavy, DJ; Meyerowitz-Katz, G; Antonietti, A; Calvache, JA; Kelson, MJ; Salvia, MG; Parra, CO; Khalatbari-Soltani, S; McLinden, T; Chatton, A; Seiler, J; Steriu, A; Alshihayb, TS; Twardowski, SE; Dabravolskaj, J; Au, E; Hoopsick, RA; Suresh, S; Judd, N; Peña, S; Axfors, C; Khan, PORCID logo; Rivera Aguirre, AE; Odo, NU; Schmid, I; Fox, MP and (2022) Causal and Associational Language in Observational Health Research: A Systematic Evaluation. American journal of epidemiology, 191 (12). pp. 2084-2097. ISSN 0002-9262 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwac137
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We estimated the degree to which language used in the high-profile medical/public health/epidemiology literature implied causality using language linking exposures to outcomes and action recommendations; examined disconnects between language and recommendations; identified the most common linking phrases; and estimated how strongly linking phrases imply causality. We searched for and screened 1,170 articles from 18 high-profile journals (65 per journal) published from 2010-2019. Based on written framing and systematic guidance, 3 reviewers rated the degree of causality implied in abstracts and full text for exposure/outcome linking language and action recommendations. Reviewers rated the causal implication of exposure/outcome linking language as none (no causal implication) in 13.8%, weak in 34.2%, moderate in 33.2%, and strong in 18.7% of abstracts. The implied causality of action recommendations was higher than the implied causality of linking sentences for 44.5% or commensurate for 40.3% of articles. The most common linking word in abstracts was "associate" (45.7%). Reviewers' ratings of linking word roots were highly heterogeneous; over half of reviewers rated "association" as having at least some causal implication. This research undercuts the assumption that avoiding "causal" words leads to clarity of interpretation in medical research.


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This is an author accepted manuscript version of an article accepted for publication, and following peer review. Please be aware that minor differences may exist between this version and the final version if you wish to cite from it.
Available under Creative Commons: Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0

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