Several methods are available for estimating direct effects in epidemiological studies. Some of the commonly used approaches include:
Causal Diagrams:Directed Acyclic Graphs (DAGs) are graphical tools that help illustrate the relationships between variables, allowing researchers to identify and isolate direct effects. Mediation Analysis: This statistical technique partitions the total effect into direct and indirect components by analyzing the role of mediating variables. Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs): Well-designed RCTs can provide robust estimates of direct effects by controlling for potential confounders and mediators.
