Investigating causal mechanisms in randomised controlled trials.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

In some randomised trials, the primary interest is in the mechanisms by which an intervention exerts its effects on health outcomes. That is, clinicians and policy-makers may be interested in how the intervention works (or why it does not work) through hypothesised causal mechanisms. In this article, we highlight the value of understanding causal mechanisms in randomised trials by applying causal mediation analysis to two randomised trials of complex interventions.

Main body

In the first example, we examine a potential mechanism by which an exercise programme for rheumatoid arthritis of the hand could improve hand function. In the second example, we explore why a rehabilitation programme for ankle fractures failed to improve lower-limb function through hypothesi

SUBMITTER: Lee H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6708183 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature