If the odds ratio or relative risk includes the value 1, what can be concluded?

When the odds ratio or relative risk includes the value of 1, it indicates that there is no significant association between the exposure and the outcome being studied. In statistical terms, an odds ratio or relative risk of 1 suggests that the odds of the outcome occurring are the same for both the exposed and unexposed groups, meaning that there is no effect of the exposure on the outcome.

For instance, if an odds ratio is calculated to be 1.5, this shows an increased risk, while a value of 0.5 would suggest a decreased risk. However, a value of 1 implies that the exposure neither increases nor decreases the likelihood of the outcome occurring. Therefore, in the context of hypothesis testing, if the confidence interval for an odds ratio or relative risk includes the value of 1, it typically means we fail to reject the null hypothesis, pointing to a lack of significant effect. This lack of significance is why the correct conclusion is that it is not significant.

The other choices, while addressing potential implications of different statistical outcomes, do not accurately reflect what it means when the odds ratio or relative risk includes the value 1. The conclusions that would suggest a significant effect or high risk would not be valid if 1