Risk factors
A risk factor is an aspect of behavior or life-style , such as an habitual pattern of diet, exercise, cigarette and alcohol use, etc., or a biological characteristic, an inborn or inherited characteristic, or a health-related condition or environmental exposure with predictable effects on the risk of disease due to a specific cause, including in particular an increased likelihood of an unfavorable outcome. Another meaning of this term is that a risk factor is a determinant of disease that can be modified by specific actions, behaviors, or treatment regiments.
In clinical epidemiology, risk factors are used to identify vulnerable populations, guide preventive interventions, and design treatment strategies. In public health, they serve as indicators for monitoring disease burden and developing policies aimed at reducing morbidity and mortality.
Lumen Learning. (n.d.). Risk Factors / Contemporary Health Issues. Retrieved from: https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-contemporaryhealthissues/chapter/five-dimensions-of-health/
Springer. (2008). Risk Factors. In Encyclopedia of Public Health. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-5614-7_3038