What is the difference between prevalence and incidence

In daily life, we often hear the words prevalence and incidence. Although they are both words related to diseases, their meanings are different and there is a big difference between them. Prevalence refers to the number of deaths among patients suffering from a certain disease within a certain period of time. Prevalence is a measure of the occurrence of certain diseases. The incidence rate refers to the ratio of the number of deaths from a certain disease to the number of people at that time within a certain period of time.

Prevalence:

Also called prevalence rate. Refers to the proportion of new and old cases of a disease in the total population at a specific time. According to the observation time, it can be divided into period prevalence = number of new and old cases of a disease in a certain population during a certain observation period/average population in the same period (number of observed people) K and point prevalence = number of new and old cases of a disease in a certain population at a certain point in time/population at that point in time (number of observed people) K. K= 100%, 1000/thousand, or 10000/ten thousand. The period prevalence is actually equal to the prevalence at the beginning of a particular period plus the incidence during that period.

Prevalence is usually used to indicate the occurrence or prevalence of chronic diseases with a long course of illness. Such as coronary heart disease, pulmonary tuberculosis, etc. It can provide a scientific basis for medical facility planning, estimating hospital bed turnover, the demand for sanitary facilities and manpower, the evaluation of medical quality and the investment of medical expenses. Incidence rate: It indicates the frequency of new cases of a disease occurring in a certain population within a certain period of time. Incidence rate = number of new cases of a disease in a population during a certain period / number of exposed population K during the same period (K = 100%, 1000/thousand, or 10000/10,000). The observation time is usually expressed in years.

Incidence

It indicates the frequency of new cases of a disease in a certain population within a certain period of time. It is a measurement indicator that reflects the impact of disease on people's health and describes the distribution status of disease. The incidence rate can be used to reflect the impact of a disease on people's health. A high incidence rate indicates that the disease has a great impact on health, while a low incidence rate indicates that the disease has a small impact on health. Incidence rates can be used to describe the distribution of a disease. By comparing the incidence of a disease among people with different characteristics, we can explore the causes and evaluate prevention and control measures.