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| n |
Risk predictor
(risk marker)
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A characteristic
associated with elevated risk of disease
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(i.e., it
predicts well)
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Not thought to
be part of the causal chain (e.g., tooth loss
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is a good
predictor of future disease)
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Usually either a
byproduct of the causal chain (usually
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called a risk
marker)
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Or some
historical measure of the outcome, such as
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number of missing
teeth, or baseline caries
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Useful to
identify who is at risk, but not useful in identifying
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likely
interventions
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