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Biostatistics & Research · single question

A risk factor in epidemiology is BEST defined as:

  1. A characteristic associated with increased probability of developing a disease
  2. A characteristic that definitively causes disease
  3. The rate of new disease cases in a population over time
  4. The total number of cases of a disease in a population at a given time
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Correct answer: A. A characteristic associated with increased probability of developing a disease

  • A. Correct. A risk factor is a variable that is associated with an increased probability (relative risk) of developing a disease or outcome. Risk factors are not necessarily causal — they represent statistical associations.
  • B. Risk factors show statistical association; CAUSATION requires additional criteria (Bradford Hill criteria for causation). Not all risk factors are causes.
  • C. This describes INCIDENCE — the rate of new cases — not risk factor.
  • D. This describes PREVALENCE — total cases at a point in time — not risk factor.

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