Disease Frequency and Risk

Question 1

what are the properties for prevalence?

Answer 1

proportion (ratio)
ranges from 0-1, 0%-100%
interpreted as the probability that an individual will HAVE a disease at a given point in time
used to assess characteristics of a population

Question 2

what are the properties for cumulative incidence?

Answer 2

proportion
ranges from 0-1, 0%-100%
interpreted as the average “risk” of developing disease over the specified time interval
estimated in a population but applied to an individual

Question 3

what are the properties for incidence rate?

Answer 3

not a proportion, not a measure of risk
a rate (ie. miles per hour)
ranges from 0-infinity
interpreted as rate at which disease develops in a population over a specified period of time