What is the study of the causes of diseases known as?

The study of the causes of diseases is known as etiology. This term specifically focuses on understanding the origins and factors that contribute to the development of diseases, including biological, environmental, and lifestyle influences. By studying etiology, healthcare professionals can identify risk factors, causal agents, and relationships between various conditions, which is essential for preventing and treating diseases effectively.

In contrast, symptoms refer to the signs and experiences reported by patients experiencing a disease, rather than the root causes. Pathology, while related, primarily deals with the structural and functional changes in tissues and organs that are caused by diseases, rather than their origins. Diagnosis involves identifying a disease based on the symptoms and medical history of a patient, but it does not encompass the underlying causes of those diseases. Therefore, etiology is the precise term for the study of disease causes.