1/19/2018

Thank you….
Dr. Paul Bartlett

2 by 2 Tables
H M 8 0 3- 73 0
E P ID EMIOLOGY A N D PUBLIC H EA LT H
BE TSY WASILE VICH , P H D, MP H

Structure of a 2 by 2 Table for Count Data

Disease
Risk factor Yes No Total

2 by 2 Table for Count Data Yes

No
A
C
B
D
A+B
C+D
A+C B+D A+B+C+D

Deconstructing a 2 by 2 Table for Count Data Deconstructing a 2 by 2 Table for Count Data
Letter A represents the number of people that had the Letter B represents the number of people that did NOT have the
disease/outcome of interest and were also exposed to the risk factor disease/outcome of interest, but that were exposed to the risk factor
of interest
For example, at a church picnic - all those who had gastrointestinal
upset AND ate ice cream Church picnic example: All those who did NOT have gastrointestinal
upset and HAD eaten ice cream
Disease
Disease
Risk factor Yes No Total
Risk factor Yes No Total
Yes A
Yes B
No
No

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Deconstructing a 2 by 2 Table for Count Data
A + B represents all those exposed to the risk factor of interest,
including both those who have the disease/outcome of interest and
those who do NOT
Church picnic example: Everyone who ate ice cream at the church
picnic
Deconstructing a 2 by 2 Table for Count Data
Letter C represents the number of people that HAD the disease,
but were not exposed to the risk factor of interest
Church picnic example: everyone who had gastrointestinal
upset, but did NOT eat ice cream

Disease Disease
Risk factor Yes No Total Risk factor Yes No Total
Yes A+B Yes
No No C

Deconstructing a 2 by 2 Table for Count Data Deconstructing a 2 by 2 Table for Count Data
Letter D represents the number of people that did NOT have the C + D represents the number of people that were NOT exposed to the
disease of interest and were NOT exposed to the risk factor of risk factor of interest, but that may or may not have had the disease
interest of interest
Church picnic example: All those at the church picnic who did NOT Church picnic example: All those (sick and well) who did NOT eat ice
have gastrointestinal illness AND did NOT eat ice cream cream
Disease
Disease
Risk factor Yes No Total
Risk factor Yes No Total
Yes
Yes
No C+D
No D

Deconstructing a 2 by 2 Table for Count Data
A + C represents ALL the people that had the disease of
interest, regardless of if those people had been exposed to the
risk factor of interest or not
Church picnic example: All those who had the disease
Deconstructing a 2 by 2 Table for Count Data
B + D represents all the people that did NOT have the disease of
interest, but who may or may not have been exposed to the risk
factor
Church picnic example: Everyone who did NOT have the disease (GI
upset)

Disease Disease
Risk factor Yes No Total Risk factor Yes No Total
Yes Yes
No No
A+C B+D

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Example: Reading a problem and putting

Deconstructing a 2 by 2 Table for Count Data count data in a 2 by 2 table
When given a data set, it will most likely NOT include all 9 numbers that
A + B + C + D is the total population being studied go into the 2 by 2 table.
Church picnic example: Everyone who attended the church It will be your job to calculate the values of the unknown cells and
picnic complete the table.

Disease
Risk factor Yes No Total
Yes
No
A+B+C+D

Example Example
On July 7, 2007, 196 people attended an outdoor wedding. Disease
Shortly after the wedding, 103 people complained of nausea, Risk factor Yes No Total
vomiting and diarrhea. Of the 103 people who got ill, 99 said
Yes
they had eaten the potato salad. Of all the people who did NOT
get sick, only 8 said they ate potato salad. No
196
Disease
Risk factor Yes No Total 196 was the total number of people who attended the
Yes wedding.
No

Example Example
Disease Disease
Risk factor Yes No Total Risk factor Yes No Total
Yes Yes 99
No No
103 196 103 196

196 was the total number of people who attended the wedding 196 was the total number of people who attended the wedding

103 people complained about getting sick 103 people complained about getting sick

99 of the sick people had eaten potato salad (the risk

factor of interest)

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Example Example
196 was the total number of people who attended the wedding
Disease
103 people complained about getting sick
Risk factor Yes No Total 99 had eaten potato salad (the risk factor of interest)
Yes 99 8 8 people ate potato salad but did NOT get sick
No All the given data is entered, so the rest of the cells (shown in blue) must be
103 196 calculated by addition or subtraction.

196 was the total number of people who attended the wedding
Disease
103 people complained about getting sick Risk factor Yes No Total
99 had eaten potato salad (the risk factor of interest) Yes 99 8 107
8 people of the people who did not get sick ate the potato salad. No 4 85 89
103 93 196

Calculations from a 2 by 2 Table

for Count Data
This completed 2 by 2 table can now be used to calculate:
◦ Measures of Frequency: risk of disease for exposed or unexposed
◦ Measures of Comparison:
◦ Risk ratio
◦ Odds ratio
◦ Attributable risk

2 by 2 Table for Person-Time Data

◦ Percent attributable risk
◦ Population attributable risk
◦ Percent population attributable risk Disease

Risk factor Yes No Total

Yes A B A+B

No C D C+D

A+C B+D A+B+C+D

Structure of a 2 by 2 Table for Person-Time Data Deconstructing a 2 by 2 Table for Person-Time Data

Letter A represents the number of people that had the

Risk Cases of Disease Person-Time @ disease/outcome of interest and were also exposed to the risk factor.

Factor Risk For example, in a community - all those who developed brain cancer
AND lived near the factory.
Yes A B
No C D Risk Factor Cases of Disease Person-Time @ Risk
Yes A
A+C B+D
No

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Deconstructing a 2 by 2 Table for Person-Time Data Deconstructing a 2 by 2 Table for Person-Time Data

Letter B represents the number of person-time units that those Letter C represents the number of people that had the
exposed to the risk factor spent disease free disease/outcome of interest but were NOT exposed to the risk
factor.
Community example: The number of person-years that those
who lived near the factory had WITHOUT getting brain cancer Community example: all those who developed brain cancer
BUT DID NOT live near the factory.
Risk Factor Cases of Disease Person-Time @ Risk
Yes B Risk Factor Cases of Disease Person-Time @ Risk

No Yes
No C

Deconstructing a 2 by 2 Table for Person-Time Data Deconstructing a 2 by 2 Table for Person-Time Data

Letter D represents the number of person-time units that those NOT A + C represents ALL the people that had the disease of
exposed to the risk factor spent disease free interest, regardless of if those people had been exposed to the
Community example: The number of person-years that those who risk factor of interest or not
DID NOT live near the factory had WITHOUT getting brain cancer Community example: All those who developed brain cancer

Risk Factor Cases of Disease Person-Time @ Risk Risk Factor Cases of Disease Person-Time @ Risk
Yes Yes
No D No
A+C

Deconstructing a 2 by 2 Table for Person-Time Data

Risk Factor Cases of Disease Person-Time @ Risk
B+D represents the number of person-time units that the total
Yes A B A+B
population spent disease free, regardless of exposure
No C D C+D
Community example: The number of person-years that the A+C B+D A+B+C+D
total population had WITHOUT getting brain cancer, regardless
of whether they lived near the factory

Risk Factor Cases of Disease Person-Time @ Risk

Yes
No
B+D

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Example Example
A cohort of 1,000 men 50 years and older were followed for 10 years to A cohort of 1,000 men 50 years and older were followed for 10 years to
measure incidence of stroke. The men contributed a total of 8,500 measure incidence of stroke.
person-years of follow-up, during which time there were 50 strokes.
Alcohol drinkers contributed 5,050 person years of follow-up, during
which time 20 strokes occurred.
Risk Factor Cases of Disease Person-Time
Yes
No
Risk Factor Cases of Disease Person-Time
Yes
No

Example Example
A cohort of 1,000 men 50 years and older were followed for 10 years to measure A cohort of 1,000 men 50 years and older were followed for 10 years to measure
incidence of stroke. incidence of stroke.

The men contributed a total of 8,500 person-years of follow-up, during The men contributed a total of 8,500 person-years of follow-up, during which time there
which time there were 50 strokes. were 50 strokes.

Alcohol drinkers contributed 5,050 person years of follow-up, during

which time 20 strokes occurred.

Risk Factor Cases of Disease Person-Time Risk Factor Cases of Disease Person-Time
Yes Yes 20 5,050
No No
50 8,500 50 8,500

Calculations from a 2 by 2 Table

Example for Person-Time Data
A cohort of 1,000 men 50 years and older were followed for 10 years to measure This completed 2 by 2 table can now be used to calculate:
incidence of stroke.
◦ Measures of Frequency: rate of disease for exposed or unexposed
The men contributed a total of 8,500 person-years of follow-up, during which time there ◦ Measures of Comparison: Rate Ratio
were 50 strokes.
Alcohol drinkers contributed 5,050 person years of follow-up, during which time 20
strokes occurred.
Risk Factor Cases of Disease Person-Time
All the given data is entered, so the rest of the cells (shown in blue)
must be calculated by addition or subtraction. Yes A B
No C D
Risk Factor Cases of Disease Person-Time A+C B+D
Yes 20 5,050
No 30 3,450
50 8,500

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“Table for two, please.”