The cause, which is the ultimate reason for the existence of the particular phenomenon, is the root cause whereas the interim cause or the cause generated through the root cause is the proximate cause. Addressing the proximate cause to a problem cannot help individuals in managing the problem. For that, you need addressing the root cause.
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Further Reading/ References
https://medium.com/@sunilrawat/proximate-cause-vs-root-cause-297d4a931679https://fs.blog/2017/05/proximate-vs-root-causes/