A risk factor may be best defined as:
A)The likelihood that a disorder will be found in another culture
B)The likelihood of contracting a disorder in a given time period
C)The proportion of a population that has a disorder now
D)A characteristic that increases the likelihood of developing a disorder

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A risk factor is a characteristic or variable that increases the likelihood of developing a disorder or experiencing a negative outcome. It does not refer to the current proportion of a population with a disorder or the likelihood of a disorder in a specific time period; these are prevalence and incidence, respectively. The first choice refers to cross-cultural factors, which may or may not be related to the concept of risk factors.

A Risk Factor May Be Best Defined As