TY - JOUR
T1 - Psychological patterns and coronary heart disease
T2 - An appraisal of the determination of etiology by means of a stochastic process
AU - Ibrahim, Michel A.
AU - Sackett, David L.
AU - Kantor, Seymour
AU - Winkelstein, Warren
N1 - Funding Information:
*Supported in part by U.S. Public Health Service Grant CD 00135. Dr. Winkelstein is a recipient of PHS Career Award HE-K3-6566. Reprint requests to 2211 Main Street, Buffalo, New York 14214 (Dr. Ibrahim).
Copyright:
Copyright 2018 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 1967
Y1 - 1967
N2 - The question of whether a selected psychological pattern precedes or follows the onset of coronary heart disease has served as a vehicle for a discussion of the fundamental issue, namely, the ability to draw causal inferences from observed associations in cross-sectional studies. The possibility of an independent contribution of the psychological pattern to the development of coronary disease, hence a possible etiological role, has been clarified and its implications have been illustrated. The crucial distinctions between "predictive" and "etiologic" stochastic models have been reviewed. When such models are used to predict phenomena, the validity of their underlying assumptions is not mandatory. However, when stochastic models are used to explore etiologic relationships, their value depends on the validity of the underlying assumptions. In addition, the users of formal mathematical models must exercise caution to avoid the pitfall of excluding relevant knowledge available from epidemiologic observation. To do so may prevent selection of the most likely inferences to explain particular causal mechanisms.
AB - The question of whether a selected psychological pattern precedes or follows the onset of coronary heart disease has served as a vehicle for a discussion of the fundamental issue, namely, the ability to draw causal inferences from observed associations in cross-sectional studies. The possibility of an independent contribution of the psychological pattern to the development of coronary disease, hence a possible etiological role, has been clarified and its implications have been illustrated. The crucial distinctions between "predictive" and "etiologic" stochastic models have been reviewed. When such models are used to predict phenomena, the validity of their underlying assumptions is not mandatory. However, when stochastic models are used to explore etiologic relationships, their value depends on the validity of the underlying assumptions. In addition, the users of formal mathematical models must exercise caution to avoid the pitfall of excluding relevant knowledge available from epidemiologic observation. To do so may prevent selection of the most likely inferences to explain particular causal mechanisms.
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U2 - 10.1016/0021-9681(67)90029-X
DO - 10.1016/0021-9681(67)90029-X
M3 - Article
C2 - 5583600
AN - SCOPUS:0014154208
SN - 0895-4356
VL - 20
SP - 931
EP - 940
JO - Journal of Chronic Diseases
JF - Journal of Chronic Diseases
IS - 11-12
ER -