Estimating Causal Effects of Interventions on Early-life Environmental Exposures Using Observational Data.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose of review

We discuss how epidemiologic studies have used observational data to estimate the effects of potential interventions on early-life environmental exposures. We summarize the value of posing questions about interventions, how a group of techniques known as "g-methods" can provide advantages for estimating intervention effects, and how investigators have grappled with the strong assumptions required for causal inference.

Recent findings

We identified nine studies that estimated health effects of hypothetical interventions on early-life environmental exposures. Of these, six examined air pollution. Interventions evaluated by these studies included setting exposure levels at a specific value, shifting exposure distributions, and limiting exposure levels to less

SUBMITTER: Smith TJS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11975414 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature