The course covers recent developments in causal mediation analysis and provides practical tools to implement these techniques. Mediation analysis concerns assessing the mechanisms and pathways by which causal effects operate. The course covers the relationship between traditional methods for mediation in epidemiology and the social sciences and new methods in causal inference. For dichotomous and continuous outcomes, we discuss when the standard approaches to mediation analysis are valid. Using ideas from causal inference and natural direct and indirect effects, alternative mediation analysis techniques are described when the standard approaches do not work. The no-confounding assumptions needed for these techniques are described.

R packages to implement these techniques are covered and distributed to course participants and will be used in hands on exercises. SAS and Stata macros will be distributed. The use and implementation of sensitivity analysis techniques to assess the how sensitive conclusions are to violations of assumptions are covered. Discussion will be given to how such mediation analysis approaches can be extended to settings in which data come from a case-control study design. The methods will be illustrated by various applications.

The course will employ a combination of asynchronous learning, in live lecture and discussion, laboratory sessions and software demonstration. In a typical course day, mornings are devoted to asynchronous learning, afternoons are devoted to in class discussion and laboratory sessions. Slides are used to present material in lecture form. Extensive notes are available for students. A wide variety of examples from epidemiology and the social sciences will be used to illustrate the techniques and approaches. Ample time is given for discussion and questions. A variety of software packages will be discussed. Students will have worked exercises that they can complete on their own.

Timetable
08:45 – 12:45 asynchronous learning and homework
14:00 - 17:00 live class (via Zoom)
17:00 – 17:30 office hours*

* The instructor will be available from 17:00 to 17:30 to address students’ questions on course material, as well as queries regarding the application of mediation analysis approaches to specific research questions. Attendance to this office hours session is optional.