Researchers use various methods to study causal pathways:
1. Observational Studies: These include cohort and case-control studies that observe the natural progression from exposure to outcome. 2. Experimental Studies: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) can manipulate exposures to study their effects on outcomes. 3. Statistical Models: Techniques such as structural equation modeling (SEM) and path analysis can quantify the relationships between variables in a causal pathway.
