Module 2: Relative Risk, Absolute Risk, and Number Needed to Treat

This asynchronous module consists of a video lecture and its corresponding slides, an article from the Wisconsin Medical Journal, a handout with further information, a quiz to test understanding, and a reflection activity.

Module 2 Materials

Required Reading

  • Calder, Patel, Statistical Thinking Part 2: Relative Risk, Absolute Risk, and Number Needed to Treat

Required Viewing

  • Video - Module 2

Optional Reading

  • Annotated Slides for Module 2
  • Module 2 Handout

Optional Listening

  • Voiceover of Required Reading (Calder, Patel)

Target Audience

  • Physicians
  • Pharmacists
  • Residents

Learning Objectives

Participants who engage in this educational intervention will be able to:

  • Define absolute risk, relative risk, and number needed to treat/harm and describe how these concepts can be misused in direct-to-consumer drug advertisements.
  • Differentiate between a rate and a proportion.
  • Describe how number needed to treat/harm varies as baseline risk changes.
  • Explain the difference between relative risk, the odds ratio, and the hazard ratio.
Additional information

Contact

Name: 
Brian Tomczyk
Phone Number: 
+1 (414) 435-8666
Email: 
[email protected]

Course summary

Course opens: 
09/01/2026
Course expires: 
12/31/2026
Cost:
$0.00
Part of: 
Statistical Thinking in Medicine: Applying Biostatistics in Clinical Practice

Price

Cost:
$0.00
Please login or register to take this course.