Risk factor

In epidemiology, a risk factor is a variable associated with an increased risk of disease or infection.

Ethical medical practice requires careful discussion of risk factors with individual patients to obtain informed consent for secondary and tertiary prevention efforts, whereas public health efforts in primary prevention require education of the entire population at risk.

The main difference lies in the realm of practice, clinical practice versus public health.

Since the 1980s, the growing field of population health has broadened the focus of public health from individual behaviors and risk factors to population-level issues such as inequality, poverty, and education.

In epidemiology, a risk factor is a variable associated with an increased risk of disease or infection.

Epidemiology is considered a cornerstone methodology of public health research, and is highly regarded in evidence-based medicine for identifying risk factors for disease.

When done thoughtfully and based on research, identification of risk factors can be a strategy for medical screening.

In epidemiology, a risk factor is a variable associated with an increased risk of disease or infection.

Epidemiology is the study and analysis of the distribution (who, when, and where), patterns and determinants of health and disease conditions in defined populations.

They are the health promoting factors found in one's living and working conditions (such as the distribution of income, wealth, influence, and power), rather than individual risk factors (such as behavioral risk factors or genetics) that influence the risk for a disease, or vulnerability to disease or injury.

The term "risk factor" was first coined by former Framingham Heart Study Director, Dr. William B. Kannel in a 1961 article in Annals of Internal Medicine.

The Framingham Heart Study is the source of the term risk factor.

*Protective factor

Conversely, a Risk factor will increase the chances of a negative health outcome occurring.

In epidemiology, a risk factor is a variable associated with an increased risk of disease or infection.

Determinant is often used as a synonym, due to a lack of harmonization across disciplines, in its more widely accepted scientific meaning.

Determinant, specific to community health policy, is a health risk that is general, abstract, pertains to inequalities and is difficult for an individual to control.

For example, low ingestion of dietary sources of vitamin C is a known risk factor for developing scurvy.

For example, low ingestion of dietary sources of vitamin C is a known risk factor for developing scurvy.

Poverty, in the discipline of health policy, is a determinant of an individual's standard of health.

The main difference lies in the realm of practice, clinical practice versus public health.

Risk factors or determinants are correlational and not necessarily causal, because correlation does not prove causation.

Risk factors or determinants are correlational and not necessarily causal, because correlation does not prove causation.

Risk factors or determinants are correlational and not necessarily causal, because correlation does not prove causation.

For example, being young cannot be said to cause measles, but young people have a higher rate of measles because they are less likely to have developed immunity during a previous epidemic.

For example, being young cannot be said to cause measles, but young people have a higher rate of measles because they are less likely to have developed immunity during a previous epidemic.

Statistical methods are frequently used to assess the strength of an association and to provide causal evidence (for example in the study of the link between smoking and lung cancer).

Statistical methods are frequently used to assess the strength of an association and to provide causal evidence (for example in the study of the link between smoking and lung cancer).

Statistical methods are frequently used to assess the strength of an association and to provide causal evidence (for example in the study of the link between smoking and lung cancer).

The following example of a risk factor is described in terms of the relative risk it confers, which is evaluated by comparing the risk of those exposed to the potential risk factor to those not exposed.