The parameter which provides an estimate of the amount by which the disease under study can be reduced in a population, if the suspected factor is eliminated from that population, is called
population attributable risk
The correct answer is population attributable risk (PAR), or population aetiological fraction: the incidence in the total population minus that in the non-exposed. As a percentage,PAR% = [(Incidence in population − Incidence in non-exposed) ÷ Incidence in population] × 100. Because it incorporates the prevalence of exposure, it estimates how much disease would disappear if the factor were removed from the whole population.
Why the others are wrong: Relative risk is the ratio of incidence in exposed to non-exposed and measures strength of association, not preventable burden. Attributable risk quantifies the fraction of disease due to exposure only within the exposed group, ignoring how common the exposure is. Risk difference is the absolute difference in incidence between exposed and non-exposed — a synonym for attributable risk, again confined to the exposed.
Key point: RR answers "how strong is the association?", AR answers "how much disease in smokers is due to smoking?", and PAR answers "how much disease in the community would vanish if smoking were abolished?"
Similar Questions
In a given set of conditions, a screening test has 90% sensitivity and 90% specificity for screening a particular disease. The prevalence of the disease at the given time in that population is 10%. Which one of the following statements regarding positive predictive value of the test is correct?
In a historical study, the death rate among heavy smokers was 224 per 1 lakh person-years while among non-smokers was 10 per 1 lakh person-years. The death rate in the general population was 74 per 1 lakh person-years. Which one among the following best represents the attributable risk of smoking for mortality in the given scenario?
In a given population of 10000, there were 30 cases of diabetes already present on 01/01/2025 and in the year 2025, 400 more cases developed diabetes. But 10 cases of diabetes died in the year 2025, i.e., before 31/12/2025. Which one of the following statements is correct regarding the disease situation?
Which one of the following statements regarding sample registration system is not correct?
Important Questions from Biostatistics
What is the specificity of sputum microscopy in detection of Pulmonary Tuberculosis (PTB) as per the information given below?
PTB Total Sputum microscopy Present Absent Positive 270 20 290 Negative 30 180 210 Total 300 200 500 In a cohort of 500 women attending antenatal clinic, 70 % had ultrasonography (USG). This cohort was followed up at delivery. Of the women who had USG, 70 delivered low birth weight (LBW) babies; whereas of the women, who did not undergo USG, 50 delivered LBW babies. The incidence of LBW babies among women who had USG is:
In a case-control study, 300 women aged 20-45 years suffering from breast cancer were compared with age-matched 300 women without breast cancer. It was observed that 120 women among cases and 60 women among controls were obese. The odds ratio of developing breast cancer among obese women is:
What is the relative risk of developing pulmonary embolism in users of oral contraceptives as per the information given below?
Women using OCs Pulmonary embolism Total Yes No Yes 120 80 200 No 10 70 80 Total 130 150 280 Which one of the following tests should be applied to compare mean haemoglobin level of two groups of antenatal mothers?
