Relative risk (RR) is a measure used in epidemiology to compare the probability of an event occurring in an exposed group versus an unexposed group. It quantifies how much more (or less) likely the outcome is among those with the exposure.
To calculate RR you need a 2Γ2 contingency table that records the number of cases and nonβcases in both exposure categories. The four cell counts are denoted as a, b, c, and d, where a and b belong to the exposed group, and c and d belong to the unexposed group.
The formula combines the two incidence proportions (risk) and expresses their ratio. An RR of 1 indicates no association, >1 suggests increased risk with exposure, and <1 suggests a protective effect.
What is relative risk?
How do I calculate relative risk?
What are the four cell counts in the contingency table?
Can relative risk be greater than 1?
What does a relative risk of 1 mean?
How do I interpret a relative risk less than 1?
Can relative risk be negative?
Results are for informational purposes only and do not constitute professional advice.
