Burridge M J, Schwabe C W, Pullum T W
J Hyg (Lond). 1977 Apr;78(2):135-49. doi: 10.1017/s0022172400056047.
The method of path analysis is described in detail. Application of this analyogical systems is demonstrated using data from an epidemiological study of echinococcosis in New Zealand. The results identified the major causal pathways determining Echinococcus granulosus prevalence in dogs, based on multiple regression analysis of a linear causal model constructed from prior biological and epidemiological knowledge. Only ethnic and sheep husbandry variables had important direct effect on prevalence in the North Island of New Zealand, with some climate factors (maximum temperature and relative humidity) and soil porosity acting indirectly through animal husbandry practices. It is suggested that path analysis, by permitting interaction between epidemiological theory and statistical analysis, provides a valuable additional tool to epidemiologists for the study of causal relationships among variables in multivariates systems.
路径分析方法将被详细描述。利用来自新西兰棘球蚴病流行病学研究的数据，展示了这种类比系统的应用。基于从先前的生物学和流行病学知识构建的线性因果模型的多元回归分析，结果确定了决定犬类细粒棘球绦虫患病率的主要因果路径。在新西兰北岛，只有种族和养羊变量对患病率有重要的直接影响，一些气候因素（最高温度和相对湿度）和土壤孔隙度通过畜牧实践产生间接影响。有人认为，路径分析通过允许流行病学理论与统计分析之间的相互作用，为流行病学家提供了一个有价值的额外工具，用于研究多变量系统中变量之间的因果关系。
