Statistics review 11: assessing risk.
Relative risk and odds ratio have been introduced in earlier reviews (see Statistics reviews 3, 6 and 8). This review describes the calculation and interpretation of their confidence intervals. The different circumstances in which the use of either the relative risk or odds ratio is appropriate and their relative merits are discussed. A method of measuring the impact of exposure to a risk factor is introduced. Measures of the success of a treatment using data from clinical trials are also considered.
Bewick
Viv
V
School of Computing, Mathematical and Information Sciences, University of Brighton, Brighton, UK. v.bewick@brighton.ac.uk
Cheek
Liz
L
Ball
Jonathan
J
D000483:Alleles; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000235:genetics; D011510:Proteolipids / Q000235:genetics; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000235:genetics; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors
D011498:Protein Precursors; D011510:Proteolipids; C105511:surfactant protein B propeptide