Understanding evidence
A smaller risk, in real numbers: the guide to medical percentages
Work through absolute risk, relative change, time frames and treatment burden using clearly labelled examples you can check yourself.
TOPIC DOSSIER
Understanding evidence
A practical toolkit for reading research: risk, study design and the limits of a finding.
Inside this dossier
5 materials
Understanding evidence
When medical studies disagree: how to build a clearer picture
A practical method for connecting studies without counting every paper as a separate vote or mistaking a new result for the final answer.
Understanding evidence
A 50% reduction. But 50% of what?
A simple way to read absolute and relative risk together — and see what a headline leaves out.
Understanding evidence
When two things move together, what can we conclude?
Study design helps separate an interesting association from evidence about cause and effect.
Understanding evidence
A better test result is not always a better health outcome
Distinguish what a study measures from what readers hope the result means.