The following ORs are reported for several hypothetical examples. Give your interpretation of the results, assuming all results are statistically significant unless otherwise specified.

a. OR (low-fat diet and colon cancer) +0.6
b. OR (aerobic exercise and dental caries) +1 (not significant)
c. OR (exposure to side-stream cigarette smoke and lung cancer) +1.3
d. OR (infectious disease of the pelvis and ectopic [tubal] pregnancy) +3.0

a) Protective effect on the health or incidence of disease (low-fat diet and colon cancer)

b) No association between exposure and incidence of disease for health (aerobic exercise and dental caries)

c) Positive association between the incidence of disease and the exposure (exposure to side-stream cigarette smoke and lung cancer)

d) Positive association between the incidence of disease and the exposure (infectious disease of the pelvis and ectopic (tubal) pregnancy).

Explanation:

The interpretation of OR can measure the association between the frequency of exposure and health in a sample that is considered statistically significant. When the OR is equal to 1, it means that there is no association between exposure and an incidence of health disease. When the OR is equal to 0.5, it means that the exposure has a protective effect on the incidence of the disease on health. And finally, when the OR is above to 1, it means that there is a positive association between the incidence of the disease and the exposure.

a) OR = +0.6. Since this value is less than 1 but greater than 0.5, it means that the exposure has a protective effect on the health or incidence of the disease.

b) OR = +1.0. As in this case, the OR value is equal to 1, meaning that there is no association between exposure and the incidence of disease for health.

c) OR = +1.3. As in this case the value is greater than 1, it means that there is a positive association between the incidence of the disease and the exposure.

d) OR = +3.0. There is a positive association between the incidence of the disease and the exposure. The OR 3 value means that the incidence of the disease and the health result will be three higher in people who are exposed.