NURS 6700 FINAL EXAM
PREP
EPIDEMIOLOGY AND
POPULATION HEALTH
ANSWERED
20232024
, 1. What is the difference between incidence and prevalence? How are they calculated?
- Incidence is the number of new cases of a disease or condition in a population over a period of
time, usually expressed as a rate per 1000 or 100,000 people. Prevalence is the proportion of
people in a population who have a disease or condition at a given point in time, usually
expressed as a percentage. They are calculated as follows:
- Incidence rate = (number of new cases in a period / population at risk at the start of the period) x
1000 (or 100,000)
- Prevalence = (number of existing cases at a point in time / population at that point in time) x 100
2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using mortality rates as a measure of disease
burden?
- Mortality rates are the number of deaths from a disease or condition in a population over a period
of time, usually expressed as a rate per 1000 or 100,000 people. Some advantages of using
mortality rates are:
- They are easy to obtain from vital statistics and death certificates
- They reflect the severity and outcome of a disease or condition
- They can be used to compare different populations or regions
- Some disadvantages of using mortality rates are:
- They do not capture the morbidity or quality of life of people living with a disease or condition
- They may be affected by factors such as age structure, access to health care, and cause of death
classification
- They may not reflect the true incidence or prevalence of a disease or condition, especially if it has
a low fatality rate or a long latency period
PREP
EPIDEMIOLOGY AND
POPULATION HEALTH
ANSWERED
20232024
, 1. What is the difference between incidence and prevalence? How are they calculated?
- Incidence is the number of new cases of a disease or condition in a population over a period of
time, usually expressed as a rate per 1000 or 100,000 people. Prevalence is the proportion of
people in a population who have a disease or condition at a given point in time, usually
expressed as a percentage. They are calculated as follows:
- Incidence rate = (number of new cases in a period / population at risk at the start of the period) x
1000 (or 100,000)
- Prevalence = (number of existing cases at a point in time / population at that point in time) x 100
2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using mortality rates as a measure of disease
burden?
- Mortality rates are the number of deaths from a disease or condition in a population over a period
of time, usually expressed as a rate per 1000 or 100,000 people. Some advantages of using
mortality rates are:
- They are easy to obtain from vital statistics and death certificates
- They reflect the severity and outcome of a disease or condition
- They can be used to compare different populations or regions
- Some disadvantages of using mortality rates are:
- They do not capture the morbidity or quality of life of people living with a disease or condition
- They may be affected by factors such as age structure, access to health care, and cause of death
classification
- They may not reflect the true incidence or prevalence of a disease or condition, especially if it has
a low fatality rate or a long latency period
