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Frequency, risk and impact measures in epidemiology.
Carlos Ochoa Sangrador1, Eduardo Ortega Páez2, Manuel Molina Arias3
1Servicio de Pediatría, Hospital Virgen de la Concha, Complejo Asistencial de Zamora, Zamora, Spain.
Anales De Pediatria
|September 10, 2025
Summary
Epidemiological studies use specific measures to quantify health and disease frequency, risk, and impact. This review details appropriate measures like prevalence, incidence, and odds ratios based on study design.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Biostatistics
- Public Health
Background:
- Epidemiological research relies on quantitative measures to report health and disease outcomes.
- Accurate interpretation of study results depends on selecting appropriate statistical measures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review key frequency, risk, and impact measures used in epidemiological studies.
- To guide the selection of appropriate measures based on study design.
- To outline criteria for interpreting these epidemiological measures.
Main Methods:
- Review of established epidemiological measures including proportions, ratios, and rates.
- Discussion of measure suitability across different study designs: cross-sectional, cohort, case-control, and clinical trials.
- Inclusion of interpretation criteria and illustrative examples.
Main Results:
- Cross-sectional studies estimate prevalence.
- Cohort studies calculate incidence, relative risk, and attributable fractions.
- Case-control studies utilize odds ratios, and clinical trials determine relative risk, risk reductions, and Number Needed to Treat (NNT).
Conclusions:
- The choice of measure is contingent upon the epidemiological study design.
- Understanding and applying correct measures are crucial for accurate health and disease assessment.
- Standardized interpretation of these measures enhances the comparability and utility of epidemiological findings.
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