TOPIC: IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS

1) EPIDEMIOLOGY: (John M. Last 1988)

The study of the distribution and determinants of health-related states or events in specified populations, and the application of this study to the control of health problems.

2) INCIDENCE:

The number of new cases of a specific disease occurring in a defined population during a specified period of time.

Incidence = the number of new cases of a specific disease during a given time period/the population at risk

3) PREVALENCE:

Indicate all current cases (both old and new) existing in a given population at a given point of time, or over a period of time.