In terms of public health, what does "incidence" refer to?

Incidence refers to the rate at which new cases of a disease occur in a specific population during a defined time period. It is a critical measure in public health that helps epidemiologists understand how quickly a disease is spreading and assesses the risk of individuals developing the disease. By focusing on new cases, incidence provides insight into the dynamics of disease transmission and the effectiveness of public health interventions.

This concept contrasts with other terms such as prevalence, which measures the total number of existing cases (both new and old) in the population at a given time. Knowing the incidence rate allows public health officials to implement targeted strategies to reduce new cases and manage outbreaks effectively. Understanding the incidence helps in resource allocation, disease prevention efforts, and monitoring trends over time to inform health policies.