Riskifaktor

Riskifaktor is a term used in epidemiology and public health to describe any attribute, characteristic, or exposure that increases the probability of developing a disease or experiencing an adverse health outcome. It denotes an association with higher risk rather than a guaranteed cause, and is commonly used to identify targets for prevention and screening.

Riskifaktorer can be non-modifiable, such as age, sex, and genetic predisposition, or modifiable, such as smoking, physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, excess body weight, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and excessive alcohol use. Recognizing these factors helps in assessing an individual’s or a population’s overall risk and in prioritizing interventions.

Riskifaktorer are identified and evaluated through observational studies, including cohort and case-control studies, and are quantified using measures such as relative risk, odds ratio, or hazard ratio. These factors can be influenced by confounding variables and may interact with one another, which researchers address through statistical methods and study design.

In practice, identifying riskifaktorer informs clinical decision-making and public health policy. It supports risk stratification, targeted screening, and prevention programs aimed at reducing the incidence or severity of diseases. It is important to distinguish risk factors from direct causes, recognizing that modifying a risk factor may lower, but not guarantee, the likelihood of an outcome.