The phrase "a graded association" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts where you are discussing a relationship or connection that varies in intensity or degree, often in academic or analytical writing.
Example: "The study revealed a graded association between the level of education and income, indicating that higher education generally leads to higher earnings."
Alternatives: "a tiered relationship" or "a scaled connection".
In order to answer the first research question, concerning the existence of a graded association between occupational grade and quality of life, Figure 2 displays mean quality of life in 2005 in relation to occupational grade in 1989.
There was a graded association with severity of maternal pregnancy HTN so that more complicated pregnancy HTN associated with a threefold increased risk of HTN in the offspring by age 20 years.
Individual income generally showed a graded association with SRH.
There was also a graded association between HOMA-IR quartile and CAC progression.
There was a graded association between HOMA-IR quartile and CAC incidence.
The incidence rates also showed a graded association with highest (absolute) risk in lowest stress resilience group.
A large-scale community-based population study revealed an independent, graded association between a reduced eGFR and the risk of death and cardiovascular events (22).
GO et al. [ 29] after 2.84 years of follow-up of 1,120,295 participants, reported an independent, graded association between a reduced eGFR and the risk of cardiovascular events, in a large, community-based population.
To take into account reversibility of IFG, sensitivity analyses with persistent IFG as an end point were performed and showed a similar graded association between quartiles of carotenoids and dysglycemia (data not shown).
Comorbidity had a strong graded association with GIB; the adjusted odds ratio for a single comorbidity was 1.43 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.35 1.52) and for multiple or severe comorbidity was 2.26 (95% CI: 2.14%–2.38%).
CAC was independently associated with prevalent CHD across the entire cohort, with a stronger graded association in men than in women.
