Western Governors University (WGU) HCM3410 C431 Healthcare Research and Statistics Practice Exam

A relative risk (RR) less than 1.0 indicates that the risk of a particular outcome occurring in one group is lower compared to another group. This means that the exposure or characteristic being studied is associated with a decrease in the likelihood of the outcome. In public health and epidemiology, this is important for understanding the protective effects of certain behaviors or interventions.

For instance, if a study finds that RR is 0.7 when comparing a group that engages in a healthy lifestyle to a group that does not, this suggests that the individuals in the healthy lifestyle group have a 30% lower risk of experiencing the outcome compared to the control group.

The interpretation of RR is crucial as it helps health professionals determine the effectiveness of interventions or the impact of risk factors on health outcomes. An RR of 1.0 suggests no difference in risk between the compared groups, while an RR greater than 1.0 indicates an increased risk in the first group. Therefore, when the RR is below 1.0, it highlights a reduced risk, emphasizing the potential benefits of the factors associated with that group.