HEALTH LITERACY · RISK TOOL
Understanding risk without alarm
Risk information becomes more useful when relative changes, absolute numbers and personal context are kept together.
Relative risk
A relative change compares one group with another, but can sound dramatic when the starting risk is very small.
Absolute risk
Absolute numbers show how many people are affected out of a defined group and provide essential context.
Population is not individual destiny
A population estimate does not predict exactly what will happen to one person.
Ask for the timeframe
Risk over one year, ten years or a lifetime describes very different situations.
TAKEAWAY
Whenever possible, ask: risk of what, compared with whom, over what time and in how many people?
For education only. This resource does not replace individual clinical advice.