Invited Commentary: What Social Epidemiology Brings to the Table—Reconciling Social Epidemiology and Causal Inference. Issue 3 (30th September 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Robinson, Whitney R; Bailey, Zinzi D
• Is Part Of: American journal of epidemiology. Volume 189:Issue 3(2020)
• Page Start: 171
• Page End: 174
• Publication Date: 2019-09-30
• Subjects: causal inference -- quantitative -- social epidemiology -- triangulation; Epidemiology -- Periodicals; Public health -- Periodicals; 614.4
• DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwz197
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0002-9262

Abstract

Abstract: In response to the Galea and Hernán article, "Win-Win: Reconciling Social Epidemiology and Causal Inference" ( Am J Epidemiol. 2020;189(XX):XXXX–XXXX), we offer a definition of social epidemiology. We then argue that methodological challenges most salient to social epidemiology have not been adequately addressed in quantitative causal inference, that identifying causes is a worthy scientific goal, and that quantitative causal inference can learn from social epidemiology's methodological innovations. Finally, we make 3 recommendations for quantitative causal inference.