Temporality, Strength, Consistency, Specificity, Dose-Response, ect.

Dose-Response relationship

A relationship between the amount of exposure and the resulting changes in outcome. This relationship is sometimes referred to as the biological gradient. The existence of this strengthens the argument for causality. Then absence of a dose-response relationship does not rule out causality.

Consistency

Consistency refers to if the exposure-outcome relationship has been repeatedly observed in epidemiological studies conducted by different researchers in different places and circumstances using different study designs. We are more inclined to accept findings if evidence is gathered in this manner and is consistent among the studies. However, lack of consistency among studies does not rule out causality.

Plausibility

Plausibility refers to the biological plausibility between an exposure and outcome (the science of how it actually happens). However, biological plausibility is widely referred to as a weak measure of causality as we may not know the biological connection between the exposure and the outcome.

Strength of Association

Strength of association refers to the magnitude of the measure of association such as RR, OR, IRR. The further these measures of association are from 1.0, the stronger the association being measured. However, weak association does not rule out causality.

Temporality

This refers to the necessity for the exposure to precede the outcome. Easiest to establish in cohort studies. Lack of temporality rules out causality