Estimating and displaying population attributable fractions using the R package graphPAF

Abstract graphPAF is a comprehensive R package designed for estimation, inference and display of population attributable fractions (PAF)s and impact fractions. In addition to allowing inference for standard PAFs and impact fractions, graphPAF facilitates display of PAFs over multiple risk factors using fan plots and nomograms, calculations of PAFs for continuous exposures, inference for PAFs appropriate for specific risk factor → mediator → outcome pathways (pathway-specific PAFs) and Bayesian network based calculations and inference for joint, sequential and average PAFs in scenarios where multiple risk factors are of interest. In summary, graphPAF extends and consolidates existing packages for PAF estimation in multiple ways. This article serves as a broad overview of theory and estimation approaches appropriate for attributable fractions, as well as a guide regarding how to use the graphPAF package in practice.