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Understanding Relative and Odds Ratios

This document defines and compares several statistical measures used to evaluate the relationship between an exposure and disease: relative risk, attributable risk, and odds ratio. Relative risk compares the risk of disease between exposed and unexposed groups. Attributable risk is similar but subtracts the risks rather than dividing. Odds ratio uses a retrospective study design to calculate the odds of disease for exposed versus unexposed individuals. All three measures provide level II-2 evidence.

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148 views1 page

Understanding Relative and Odds Ratios

This document defines and compares several statistical measures used to evaluate the relationship between an exposure and disease: relative risk, attributable risk, and odds ratio. Relative risk compares the risk of disease between exposed and unexposed groups. Attributable risk is similar but subtracts the risks rather than dividing. Odds ratio uses a retrospective study design to calculate the odds of disease for exposed versus unexposed individuals. All three measures provide level II-2 evidence.

Uploaded by

zareeney
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Statistics

Exposure? Disease No Disease


Yes A B
No C D

RELATIVE RISK
• Is PROspective
• Find patients with an exposure (ie, smoking) and follow them to
determine their incidence of cancer; do same with non smokers
• Level II-2 evidence
• Is NOT controlled (you don’t determine who smokes!)
• If there is no increased risk, the RR is one

Risk of getting Disease if you are exposed: A/A+B

Risk of getting Disesase if not exposed: C/C+D

Relative Risk (Exposed/Not Exposed)

= (A/A+B) / (C/C+D)

ATTRIBUTABLE RISK
• The same as RR, except that you subtract rather than divide
• (A/A+B) – (C/C+D)
• If there is no increased risk, the value is “0”
• Also Level II-2

ODDS RATIO
• Is RETROspective
• Find patients who already have cancer
• Find matched controls who don’t have cancer
• Calculate the ODDS, not the ratio
• Odds that you will HAVE cancer if you smoke = A/B
• Odd that you will have cancer if you don’t smoke = C/D
• Odd Ratio = (A/B)/(C/D) = AD/BC
• Still Level II-2

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