Question 1: The authors say that on the first day the rate of redness with the longer needle was two thirds the rate with the smaller needle (relative risk 0.66 (95% confidence interval 0.45 to 0.99), P=0.04). What do they mean by 'relative risk 0.66' and is their interpretation correct?
Risk means the proportion of people with a given exposure to a risk factor who will experience a given outcome. The risk of redness for babies immunised with short needles is the proportion of such babies whose parents report redness.
The relative risk of redness is the proportion of babies immunised with long needles whose parents report redness divided by the proportion of babies immunised with short needles whose parents report redness.
As the relative risk is 0.66, the proportion of babies immunised with long needles whose parents report redness is 0.66 times the proportion of babies immunised with short needles whose parents report redness. 0.66 is approximately 2/3 (= 0.66666666666667). Hence the statement that 'the rate of redness with the longer needle was two thirds the rate with the smaller needle' is correct.
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Last updated: 21 November, 2006.