Interpreting effect sizes depends on the context and the specific measure used:
- Risk Ratios (RR): An RR of 1 indicates no difference in risk. An RR greater than 1 suggests increased risk in the exposed group, while an RR less than 1 suggests decreased risk. - Odds Ratios (OR): Similar to RR, an OR of 1 indicates no association. OR greater than 1 suggests higher odds in the exposed group, while OR less than 1 suggests lower odds. - Hazard Ratios (HR): An HR of 1 indicates no difference in hazard rates. HR greater than 1 suggests higher hazard in the exposed group, while HR less than 1 suggests lower hazard. - Absolute Risk Difference (ARD): A positive ARD indicates higher risk in the exposed group, while a negative ARD indicates lower risk. - Standardized Mean Difference (SMD): An SMD of 0 indicates no difference between groups. The larger the absolute value of SMD, the greater the difference.
