Incidence Rate
Candlefocus EditorThe incidence rate is expressed as the number of cases of a particular event in a population over a period of time, usually one year. It is expressed as the number of new or additional events per every 1000 population. For example, the incidence rate of cancer may be expressed as new occurrences in 1000 people during a year. This way, comparing different populations can be done more easily, even when the actual number of people in a population is different.
Incidence rate provides the capacity to anticipate future incidents in order to plan accordingly. Pharmaceutical and biotech companies can use the incidence rate when they seek approval from the FDA to get their drugs to market. Investors can use this metric to pick stocks that have positive incidence rates.
The incidence rate is different from prevalence, which is a measure of the total accumulation of cases in a population over a period of time. Prevalence is expressed as the number of existing cases in the population, whereas incidence rate is measured as the number of new cases of an event in the population over a certain period.
Incidence rate is an important measure which helps in understanding and predicting the potential health impact of a particular event or process. It is used by medical practitioners, investors, and researchers alike to analyze and anticipate future events.