Risk Factors
A risk factor is any attribute, characteristic, or exposure of an individual that increases the likelihood of developing a disease or injury.
Classifications
| Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Modifiable | Smoking, diet, physical activity, alcohol consumption, and hypertension. |
| Non-modifiable | Age, sex, ethnicity, and genetic predisposition. |
| Environmental | Pollution, occupational hazards, housing, water, and sanitation. |
High-Yield Clinical Notes:
- Risk vs. Causation: Correlation does not equal causation. A factor might be a “marker” (associated with risk) rather than a “cause” (directly producing disease).
- Relative Risk (RR): The ratio of the probability of an outcome in an exposed group to the probability of an outcome in an unexposed group.
- Attributable Risk (AR): The difference in rate of a condition between an exposed population and an unexposed population; it quantifies how much disease could be prevented by removing the risk.