The use of odds ratio in the large population-based studies: Warning to readers

• DOI: 10.11138/mltj/2014.4.1.090
• Publication Date: 2014-06-12T22:16:56Z
• Authors: Luigi Di Lorenzo
• Keywords: Odds; Association (psychology); Statistical Inference

When researchers conduct large prospective studies, they provide results generating statistical analysis; therefore readers need considerable familiarity with descriptive and inferential statistics. If quantitative judgments are based on interpreting odds ratios as though were relative risks, unlikely to be seriously in error. Because of the calculating method, OR is often less precise than RR estimating strength an association, this should definitely kept mind by anyone who reads interprets a population based-study.