Prevalence

Definition

Prevalence is the proportion of a population found to have a condition at a specific time. It is often expressed as a percentage or ratio.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Prevalence helps epidemiologists understand the burden of disease within a population.
2. It differs from incidence, which measures new cases over a specific period.
3. High prevalence does not necessarily indicate high incidence; it could be due to long disease duration.
4. Prevalence can be influenced by factors such as disease duration, cure rates, and mortality rates.
5. It is crucial for planning public health interventions and allocating resources.

Review Questions

• How does prevalence differ from incidence?
• Why might a disease have high prevalence but low incidence?
• What factors can influence the prevalence of a disease in a population?

Related terms

Incidence:

The number of new cases of a disease occurring in a specified period.

Morbidity:

The state of having symptoms or being affected by an illness.

Epidemiology:

The study of how diseases affect the health and illness of populations.