title: Misinterpreting odds ratio in the articles published in korean journal of family medicine.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In reporting results of case-control studies, odds ratios are useful methods of reporting findings. However, odds ratios are often misinterpreted in the literature and by general readers.
  
  
  METHODS
  We searched all original articles which were published in the Korean Journal of Family Medicine from 1980 to May 2011 and identified those that report "odds ratios." Misinterpretation of odds ratios as relative risks has been identified. Estimated risk ratios were calculated when possible and compared with odds ratios.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred and twenty-eight articles using odds ratios were identified. Among those, 122 articles were analyzed for the frequency of misinterpretation of odds ratios as relative risks. Twenty-two reports out of these 122 articles misinterpreted odds ratios as relative risks. The percentage of misinterpreting reports decreased over years. Seventy-seven reports were analyzed to compare the estimated risk ratios with odds ratios. In most of these articles, odds ratios were greater than estimated risk ratios, 60% of which had larger than 20% standardized differences.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In reports published in the Korean Journal of Family Medicine, odds ratios are frequently used. They were misinterpreted in part of the reports, although decreasing trends over years were observed.
authors: Department of Family Medicine, Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Ju Heon
authors: JH
authors: Kim
authors: Min Young
authors: MY
authors: Kim
authors: Soo Young
authors: SY
authors: Kim
authors: In Hong
authors: IH
authors: Hwang
authors: En Jin
authors: EJ
authors: Kang