Certified in Public Health (CPH) Practice Exam

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Study for the Certified in Public Health (CPH) Test with quizzes and flashcards. Each question comes with hints and explanations. Prepare thoroughly for your CPH exam!

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What does an odds ratio of 2.0 indicate in a study comparing ovarian cancer cases to controls in relation to radiation exposure?

Women with ovarian cancer had 2.0 times the risk of exposure compared to women without the disease.
Women exposed to radiation had a 2.0 times greater risk of developing ovarian cancer.
Cancer cases had 2.0 times the odds of exposure when compared to women with other cancers.
Cancer cases had 2.0 times the odds of exposure compared to community controls.

The correct answer is: Cancer cases had 2.0 times the odds of exposure compared to community controls.

An odds ratio of 2.0 in this context signifies that ovarian cancer cases had twice the odds of having been exposed to radiation compared to community controls. This means that when you look at the number of women with ovarian cancer, they are twice as likely to have had radiation exposure when contrasted with women who do not have the disease, represented by the community controls. This statistic helps in understanding the association between radiation exposure and the likelihood of developing ovarian cancer. When interpreting an odds ratio, it is particularly insightful because it focuses on the presence of the condition (ovarian cancer, in this case) and how that relates to a potential risk factor (radiation exposure), providing essential information about the strength of the association. In this scenario, the other answer choices do not reflect the accurate relationship established by the odds ratio in question. The correct interpretation aligns with assessing the relative likelihood of exposure among cases compared to controls, emphasizing the increased odds for those affected by the disease.