Which statement is false about the component-cause model?

• A. A sufficient cause can be formed by combining multiple component-causes.
• B. A necessary cause is required for disease to occur.
• C. A component-cause can be part of a sufficient cause.
• D. A sufficient cause always guarantees disease on its own.

Answer: (D)

The component-cause model envisions disease arising when a complete sufficient cause is present—a “pie” made up of several component causes. There can be more than one such pie for a given disease, and a single component cause can belong to multiple pies. A necessary cause, if it exists, is a component that appears in every pie for that disease; not all diseases have a single necessary cause.

The statement about a sufficient cause always guaranteeing disease on its own is the tricky one. In this framework, a complete set of components is sufficient to produce the disease, but because there can be multiple distinct sufficient causes and because real-world outcomes involve timing, exposure, and other modifiers, simply having one complete pie does not always translate to a deterministic outcome in every individual. In practice, this makes the idea of an absolute, unconditional guarantee inappropriate; the model describes sufficiency in a population sense, not a guaranteed fate for every person with the factors.