A structured approach to hypotheses involving continuous exposures over the life course.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Epidemiologists are often interested in examining different hypotheses for how exposures measured repeatedly over the life course relate to later-life outcomes. A structured approach for selecting the hypotheses most supported by theory and observed data has been developed for binary exposures. The aim of this paper is to extend this to include continuous exposures and allow for confounding and missing data.

Methods

We studied two examples, the association between: (i) maternal weight during pregnancy and birthweight; and (ii) stressful family events throughout childhood and depression in adolescence. In each example we considered several plausible hypotheses including accumulation, critical periods, sensitive periods, change and effect modification. We used least

SUBMITTER: Smith AD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5841633 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature