2. Aetiology
Main inclusion criteria
Identification of determinants that are involved in the cause, risk or development of disease, conditions and ill health.
Advice on research activities
Identification and characterisation of determinants that are involved in the cause, risk and development of diseases or conditions. This includes most epidemiological research including studies aimed at understanding behaviours.
Excludes investigation of the mechanism of action of treatments (see 5 Treatment Development or 6 Treatment Evaluation) or studies relating to health services (see 8 Health Services).
Official terminology
|
Full name of code |
Short name | Unique ID |
| 2 Aetiology | 2 Aetiology |
HRCS_RAG_2 |
Related external links
Common Scientific Outline (CSO) – 1 Biology
Common Scientific Outline (CS) – 2 Aetiology
Summary of Aetiology sub-codes
2.1 Biological and endogenous factors
Identification and characterisation of endogenous factors known or suspected to be involved in the cause, risk or development of disease, conditions or ill health including:
- genes and gene products, molecular, cellular and physiological structures and functions
- biological factors linked to ethnicity, age, gender, pregnancy and body weight
- endogenous biological factors or pathways involved in responses to infection or damage by external factors
- metastases, degenerative processes, regeneration and repair
- complications, reoccurrence and secondary conditions
- bioinformatics and structural studies
- development and characterisation of models
2.2 Factors relating to physical environment
Environmental or external factors associated with the cause, risk or development of disease, conditions or ill health including:
- physical agents, occupational hazards, environmental surroundings, radiation and pollution
- chemicals and nutrients
- infection by pathogens and studies of infectious agents
2.3 Psychological, social and economic factors
Research into psychological conditions, or research into the cause, risk or development of disease, conditions or ill health associated with social, psychological and economic factors including:
- individual or group behaviours and lifestyle
- cultural or religious beliefs or practices
- ethnicity, age and gender differences
- socioeconomic factors
2.4 Surveillance and distribution
Observational studies, surveys, registries, and studies that track incidence, prevalence, morbidity, co-morbidity and mortality including ongoing monitoring of large scale cohorts
2.5 Research design and methodologies (aetiology)
Development of aetiological and epidemiological research designs, measures and methodologies including:
- methodological innovation and modelling complex epidemiological data
- development and evaluation of novel research designs
- development of epidemiological research measurements including outcome measures
- development of analytical and statistical methods to understand disease cause, susceptibility and risk including genetic linkage and association studies
2.6 Resources and infrastructure (aetiology)
development and/or distribution of resources for general use by the research community including:
- equipment, cell lines, tissue and DNA banks, and genomic and proteomic sequence resources
- infrastructure to support research networks, consortia and centres