Hovedvirkningen

Hovedvirkningen is a term used in Danish and Norwegian to denote the main or principal effect of an action, intervention, or process. It is often used in scientific, medical, and policy contexts to describe the central outcome of interest.

Etymology: The word is a compound of hoved (head, principal) and virkning (effect, impact). In usage, it refers to the primary consequence that characterizes the overall impact, in contrast to secondary or ancillary effects.

Definition and usage: In research reports, the hovedvirkningen is the predefined primary endpoint or primary outcome that a study is designed to measure. The terminology helps distinguish the main result from secondary endpoints or side effects. It may also be used more generally to summarize the principal effect of a policy, treatment, or product.

Examples: In medicine, the hovedvirkningen of a drug might be the main therapeutic effect observed; in environmental policy, it could be the primary reduction in emissions; in market research, the main effect could be a rise in user engagement. The term emphasizes what is considered the central, most important outcome in a given evaluation.

See also: virkning, bivirkninger, endepunkt.