None of those are particularly useful on an individual level. E.g.:
- 1.42x risk of Autism
Okay, great, the population incidence is about 1 in 36, so 1.42x risk is about 1 in 25. What possible actionable use is this? It's not even particularly useful input to "should I follow up with some kind of actual assessment".
But even that and the other not-particularly-useful numeric risk multipliers are better than:
- You have a SNP in the oxytocin receptor which may make you less empathetic than other people.
At this level of specificity, you may as well be consulting a magic 8-ball.
- 1.42x risk of Autism
Okay, great, the population incidence is about 1 in 36, so 1.42x risk is about 1 in 25. What possible actionable use is this? It's not even particularly useful input to "should I follow up with some kind of actual assessment".
But even that and the other not-particularly-useful numeric risk multipliers are better than:
- You have a SNP in the oxytocin receptor which may make you less empathetic than other people.
At this level of specificity, you may as well be consulting a magic 8-ball.