1. What is Absolute Risk?

Absolute Risk (AR) is an epidemiological measure that represents the probability of an event occurring in a specific population over a defined period. It is calculated as the number of events divided by the total number of exposed individuals.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the Absolute Risk formula:

Where:

• \( AR \) — Absolute Risk (decimal)
• \( \text{Events in Exposed} \) — Number of cases or events observed
• \( \text{Total Exposed} \) — Total number of individuals in the group

Explanation: Absolute Risk provides the actual probability of an event occurring in the exposed population, expressed as a decimal between 0 and 1.

3. Importance of Absolute Risk Calculation

Details: Absolute Risk is fundamental in epidemiology for understanding disease burden, assessing intervention effectiveness, and communicating risk to patients and public health officials.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the number of events (cases) and the total number of exposed individuals. Events must be less than or equal to total exposed, and total exposed must be greater than zero.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is the difference between Absolute Risk and Relative Risk?
A: Absolute Risk shows the actual probability, while Relative Risk compares risks between two groups (exposed vs. unexposed).

Q2: How do I interpret Absolute Risk values?
A: Values range from 0 to 1, where 0 means no risk and 1 means certainty. A value of 0.05 means 5% probability of the event occurring.

Q3: When is Absolute Risk most useful?
A: For clinical decision-making, public health planning, and when communicating individual risk to patients.

Q4: Can Absolute Risk be converted to percentage?
A: Yes, multiply by 100. For example, 0.15 absolute risk equals 15% risk.

Q5: What are the limitations of Absolute Risk?
A: It doesn't account for time or competing risks, and may not reflect individual patient characteristics.