title: Dental caries risk studies revisited: causal approaches needed for future inquiries.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Health Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada. jolantaa@interchange.ubc.ca
authors.forename: Jolanta
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Aleksejūniene
authors.forename: Dorthe
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Holst
authors.forename: Vilma
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Brukiene
mesh_terms: D001955:British Columbia / Q000453:epidemiology; D015984:Causality; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009909:Oral Health; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012309:Risk-Taking