Rate – shows the relationship between a vital event and those persons exposed to the occurrence

of said event, within a given area and during a specified unit of time, it is evident that the person
experiencing the event (Numerator) must come from the total population exposed to the risk of
the same event (Denominator).

Ratio – is used to describe the relationship between two numerical quantities or measures of
events without taking particular considerations to the time or place. These quantities need not
necessarily represent the same entities, although the unit of measure must be the same for both
numerator and denominator of the ratio.

Crude or General Rates – referred to the total +living population. It must be presumed that the
total population was exposed to the risk of the occurrence of the event.

Specific Rate – the relationship is for a specific population class or group. It limits the
occurrence of the event to the portion of the population definitely exposed to it.

Crude Birth Rate – a measure of one characteristic of the natural growth or increase of a
population.

Crude Death Rate – a measure of one mortality from all causes which may result in a decrease
of population.

Infant Mortality Rate – measures the risk of dying during the 1st year of life. It is a good index
of general health condition of a community since it reflects the changes in the environment and
medical condition of a community.

Maternal Mortality Rate – measures the risk of dying from causes related to pregnancy,
childbirth and puerperium. It is an index of the obstetrical care needed and received by women in
a community.

Fetal Death Rate – measures pregnancy wastage. Death of product of conception occurs prior to
its complete expulsion, irrespective of duration of pregnancy.

Neonatal Death Rate – measures the risk of dying the 1st month of life. It serves as an index of
the effects of prenatal care and obstetrical management of the newborn.

Specific Death Rate – describes more accurately the risk of exposure of certain classes of
groups to particular diseases. To understand the forces of mortality, the rates should be made
specific provided the data are available for both the population and the event in their
specifications. Specific rates render more comparable and thus reveal the problem of public
health.

Incidence Rate – measures the frequency of occurrence o the phenomenon during a given period
of time.
Prevalence Rate – measures the proportion of the population which exhibits a particular disease
at a particular time. This can only be determined following a survey of the population concerned,
deals with total (new and old) number of cases.

Proportionate Mortality (Death Ratios) – shows the numerical relationship between deaths
from all causes (or group of causes), age (or group of age) etc,. And the total no. Of deaths from
all causes in all ages taken together.

Case Fatality Ratio – index of a killing power of a disease and is influenced by incomplete
reporting and poor morbidity data.

Vital Statistics – refers to the systematic study of vital events such as births, illnesses,
marriages, divorce, separation and deaths.

Statistics – refers to a systematic approach of obtaining, organizing and analyzing numerical

facts so that conclusion may be drawn from them

Demography – the study of the characteristics of human populations, such as size, growth,
density, distribution, and vital statistics.

Census – an official registration of the number of the people, the value of their estates, and other
general statistics of a country.

Morbidity – is an incidence of ill health. It is measured in various ways, often by the probability
that a randomly selected individual in a population at some date and location would become
seriously ill in some period of time.

Mortality – is incidence of death in a population. It is measured in various ways, often by the

probability that a randomly selected individual in a population at some date and location would
die in some period of time.

Sporadic – Occurring upon occasion or in a scattered, isolated or seemingly random way

Endemic –Present in a community at all times but in relatively low frequency. Something that is
endemic is typically restricted or peculiar to a locality or region

Epidemic –is a sudden severe outbreak within a region or a group or spreading rapidly and extensively
by infection and affecting many individuals in an area or a population at the same time

Pandemic – affecting persons over a wide geographical area; extensively epidemic

Epidemiology – is the study of occurrences and distribution of diseases as well as the

distribution and determinants of health states or events in specified population and the
application of this study to control of health problems