Final answer:
Hill's criteria consist of nine principles such as strength of association, consistency, specificity, temporality, biological gradient, plausibility, coherence, experiment, and analogy, used to evaluate causality in epidemiological studies. The collective evidence is assessed with these criteria, which help determine if a risk factor and disease have a causal relationship.
Step-by-step explanation:
Hill's criteria are a set of principles that assist in determining if an association between a risk factor and a disease is likely to be causal. Austin Bradford Hill, a British medical statistician, proposed these criteria in 1965 to assess causality in epidemiological studies. Here are the nine criteria:
- Strength of association: A strong association is more likely to be causal.
- Consistency: An association observed repeatedly in different studies and populations suggests causality.
- Specificity: A specific association between a risk factor and disease supports causality.
- Temporality: The risk factor must precede the onset of the disease.
- Biological gradient: A dose-response relationship strengthens causality claims.
- Plausibility: A biologically plausible mechanism should exist between the risk factor and the disease.
- Coherence: The association should not contradict known facts of the natural history and biology of the disease.
- Experiment: Causal evidence is strengthened by data from experiments.
- Analogy: Analogous situations where similar factors have been shown to cause a disease can support causality.