Relationship between mediation analysis and the structured life course approach.
Many questions in life course epidemiology involve mediation and/or interaction because of the long latency period between exposures and outcomes. In this paper, we explore how mediation analysis (based on counterfactual theory and implemented using conventional regression approaches) links with a structured approach to selecting life course hypotheses. Using theory and simulated data, we show how the alternative life course hypotheses assessed in the structured life course approach correspond to different combinations of mediation and interaction parameters. For example, an early life critical period model corresponds to a direct effect of the early life exposure, but no indirect effect via the mediator and no interaction between the early life exposure and the mediator. We also compare these methods using an illustrative real-data example using data on parental occupational social class (early life exposure), own adult occupational social class (mediator) and physical capability (outcome).
MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, laura.howe@bristol.ac.uk.|School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK and.
Laura D
LD
Howe
MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit.|School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK and.
Andrew D
AD
Smith
MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit.|School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK and.
Corrie
C
Macdonald-Wallis
MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit.|School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK and.
Emma L
EL
Anderson
School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK and.
Bruna
B
Galobardes
MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit.|School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK and.
Debbie A
DA
Lawlor
School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK and.
Yoav
Y
Ben-Shlomo
MRC Unit for Lifelong Health and Ageing at UCL, University College London, London, UK.
Rebecca
R
Hardy
MRC Unit for Lifelong Health and Ageing at UCL, University College London, London, UK.
Rachel
R
Cooper
MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit.|School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK and.
Kate
K
Tilling
MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, laura.howe@bristol.ac.uk.|School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK and.
Abigail
A
Fraser
D015984:Causality; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D015987:Effect Modifier, Epidemiologic; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D015438:Health Behavior; D006803:Human Development; D006801:Humans; D012923:Social Class; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
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