Epidemiological Metrics: Risk, Absolute Risk, Relative Risk, and Risk Reduction

Mirmalek, Seyed Abbas

doi:10.22034/ijs.2026.736429

Epidemiological Metrics: Risk, Absolute Risk, Relative Risk, and Risk Reduction

Document Type : Surgerical Research

Author

Seyed Abbas Mirmalek

Assistant Professor of General Surgery, Islamic Azad University of Medical Sciences, Tehran Branch

https://doi.org/10.22034/ijs.2026.736429

Abstract

Risk is defined as the probability of a specific health outcome occurring within a specified population over a defined period. Absolute risk quantifies the incidence of an outcome within a group, while relative risk provides a comparative measure between two distinct populations, such as exposed and unexposed groups. These metrics are fundamental in clinical research for assessing disease prevalence and determining the efficacy of interventions.

Keywords

None

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