Table 1

Methodologic Rigor Applied for Studies of Causation

Purpose Category
Methodologic Rigor

Causation
Observation concerned with the relationship between exposures and putative clinical outcomes;
Data collection is prospective;
Clearly identified comparison group(s);
Blinding of observers of outcome to exposure;
and Analysis consistent with study design.

Haynes et al. BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making 2005 5:8   doi:10.1186/1472-6947-5-8