Absolute versus Relative Risk Revisited

(note there are some small errors listed below) This explanation of absolute v relative risk focuses on the medical context and covers the notion of treatment (including vaccine) EFFECTIVENESS which is normally defined using relative rather than absolute risk measures. But it also covers the notion of individual (personal) risk.

Errors
At 7:30 it says 1.12-0.2=1%. It should say 1.2-0.2=1%.
At 9.40 the table at bottom says lives saved per 100,000 whereas the entries are lives saved per million
At 11:20 it says absolute risk increase is 1 in million. It should say 1 in 10 Million
Apologies for interchanging 'cholorectal' with 'colon' in first example.

[stlouisix]

This is an exercise in basic logic, in addition to a lesson in statistics. Thank you very much, Prof. Norman Fenton👍

[southernsour]

This is mindblowing.
But i have noone to talk about this. Whenever i have doubts concerning numers, everyone tells me to shut up and believe what everybody believes. Frustrating.

[craigsips]

This video should be watched as a companion piece with Mattias Desmet's work on Mass Formations.

[DivinaeMisericordiae]

Forget Dwayne Johnson, this guy is a real hero. Thank you Professor for your professional analysis!

[ChuddmasterZero]

Thank you so much for your content Prof. Fenton. You are a superb communicator, and education in this area is critical at this time.
Please keep providing such excellent material.

[christiansweden]

Thank you professor.
My brother recently asked me what the difference is between the two, and I realized I couldn't give him a straight answer at the time.

[bobbysmith]

Thank you so much for putting your career on line and speaking out. There are some real heros coming out of this mess!

[Gumbatron]

Thanks Prof. Fenton. Your clear explanations of these issues are incredibly helpful and really should reach a much wider audience. I suspect "the algorithm" may not be working in your favour there though.

[philcolton]

What’s sad is that governments know this and are supposed to report both absolute risks and relative risk but chose to only report relative risk. It really instilled trust doesn’t it?

[floridapopulist]

This gives the bmj/doji research even more gas! Cheers from across the pond in Tampa Bay, mate !

[malcolmmarzo]

A revealing question to anyone advocating for a treatment: "What is the Absolute Risk Reduction ? " If they can't answer that question you got what you need to know.

[rizzobitz]

This is wonderful. Are people who pass away from vaccine reactions being considered as vaccine deaths to give proper risk benefit ratio? If the partially vaccinated are considered unvaccinated until they are fully vaccinated, is it possible that vaccine reactions might be listed as unvaccinated deaths? Also what about increased risk for each booster and how that affects the risk-benefit please?

[nxjitki]

I hope u teach this to medical students! No wonder the politicians struggle with SARS2 atm

[hirshzq]

I wish i could clockwork orange the entire planet into watching your videos

[evieblessed]

Thank you for this, Prof. Fenton, very clearly explained. So many aren't even aware of the disparity between absolute and relative risk, obviously, so are unable to make truly informed decisions around their healthcare choices.

[thecountrypeasanttcp]

Mindbogglingly good video. Thank you for your explanations. So much food for thought my mind is stuffed full🤔

[ashharijaywardena]

Thank you for taking the time to deliver these lectures, Norman. I especially like how you go step by step and use fairly simple maths. I'll have to watch this video again for the last two minutes to sink in (no fault of your presentation; my brain's just slow), but I've certainly understood how reports of 'x% increased/decreased risk' should be followed closely so as to ascertain how meaningful the difference is. Lots to think about here.

This is the second video of yours that seems to put into a tidier order thoughts that nag me but that I cannot organise satisfactorily myself. I wish you good health and good luck :)

[ekleduden]

Keep up the good work Norman Fenton 👏🏼🤗

[kenmitchell]

The vaccine group also needs to be weighted as adverse reactions tend to effect younger people hence the loss of life of a 10 year old based on average age may be 75yrs where as a covid death of an 80yr old may only be 5yrs lost making total years lost for the vaccine group 15 time greater.

[RufusMcDufusTheGreat]

Just a note. Absolute risk increase calculation should say 1.2-0.2=1% not 1.12-0.2=1%