Suggested answer to exercise: Analyses for qualitative data, 10

Question 10: What is meant by odds ratio 3.37 (1.92 to 5.92) for lower respiratory tract infections and wheeze?

Suggested answer

In the sample, the odds of wheeze in children with 4 infections is 3.37 times the odds of wheeze in children with 3 infections. The confidence interval tells us that the ratio in the whole population is estimated to be between 1.92 and 5.92. The confidence interval does not include 1.0, so the difference is significant and we have evidence that in this population wheeze is more common in children with a history of 4 episodes of respiratory tract infections than in those with 3 episodes.


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Last updated: 27 July, 2009.

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