Suppose you read the following headline: "Taking an aspirin a day can cut your risk of heart attack by almost half!" Suppose the news report goes on to tell you that the research is based on a very large well-designed randomized experiment with a p-value less than 0.0001.Assume this information is technically correct, given the results of the study.Which of the following statistics could actually represent the results of this study?
A)The rates of heart attack were 9.4 per thousand for the aspirin group and 17.1 per thousand for the placebo group (non aspirin).
B)94 people in the aspirin group had a heart attack, compared to 171 people in the non-aspirin group.
C)The risk of a heart attack for the aspirin group was 45% of the risk of a heart attack for the non-aspirin group.
D)Any of the above could have been possible.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Each of the provided statistics could represent the results of the study in a manner consistent with the headline. A) and B) both show a reduction in heart attacks that could be interpreted as "cutting the risk by almost half," depending on the total number of participants in each group, and C) directly states the risk reduction as described in the headline.

Suppose You Read the Following Headline: "Taking an Aspirin a Day