MANIPAL COLLEGE OF NURSING

PRESENTATION ON
MEASUREMENTS OF MORBIDITY

PRESENTED BY
POOJA BAKSHI
HEMA SHANKAR
JAGRITI NIYOGI
SANGEETA BSR
INTRODUCTION:
Morbidity refers to the diseases and illness, injuries, and disabilities in a population. Data on
frequency and distribution of illness can aid in controlling its spread and, in some cases, may
lead to the identification of its causes.
The major methods for gathering morbidity data are through surveillance systems and sample
surveys. These are both costly procedures and therefore are used only selectively in
developing country setting to gather data on health problems of major importance.
DEFINITION:
Morbidity has been defined as “Any departure, subjective or objective, from a state of
physiological well-being”.
The term is used equivalent to such terms as sickness, illness, disability etc.
MEASUREMENT OF MORBIDITY:
The WHO expert committee on health statistics noted in its 6th report that morbidity could be
measured in terms of 3 units-
a) Persons who were ill.
b) The illness (periods or spells of illness) that these persons experienced
c) The duration (days, weeks, etc.) of these illnesses.
TYPES OF MORBIDITY RATES:

The following morbidity rates are used for assessing ill-health in the community.

a) Incidence and prevalence

b) Notification rates
c) Attendance rates at out-patient departments, health centres etc.
d) Admission, readmission and discharge rates.
e) Duration of stay in the hospital
f) Spells of sickness or absence from work or school.

INCIDENCE

Incidence rate is defined as “the number of new cases occurring in a defined population
during a specified period of time”.

It is given by the formula:

Incidence = Number of new case of specific disease during a given time period*1000
__________________________________________________________

Population at-risk during that period

The incidence rates refer,

a) Only to new cases
 b) During a given period (usually one year)
c) In a specified population or “population at risk”, unless other denominations are
chosen.
d) It can also refer to new spells or episodes of disease arising in a given period of time,
per 1000 population.

Number of spells of sickness starting in a defined period *1000

Incidence rate= ___________________________________________________
(spells) Mean number of persons exposed to risk in that period

SPECIAL INCIDENCE RATES:

Examples include: Attack rate (case rate), Secondary attack rate, Hospital admission rate, etc.

a) Attack rate

An attack rate is an incidence rate, used only when the population is exposed to risk for a
limited period of time such as during an epidemic.
It is given by the formula:

Number of new cases of a specified disease during a specified time interval

___________________________________________________________*100

Total population at risk during the same interval

b) Secondary attack rate

It is defined as the number of exposed persons developing the disease within the range
of the incubation period following exposure to a primary care.
It is given by the formula:

Number of exposed persons developing the disease

within the range of the incubation period
_______________________________________________*100

Total number of exposed / “susceptible” contacts

USES OF MORBIDITY DATA:

 They describe the extent of disease load and help in the establishment of priorities.
 They provide more accurate and clinically relevant data than mortality data.
 They are starting point for etiological studies.
 They are needed for monitoring and evaluation of disease control
USES OF INCIDENCE RATES:

 To control disease.
 For research into aetiology, pathogenesis, distribution of diseases and efficacy of
preventive and therapeutic measures.

PREVALENCE:

The term “disease prevalence refers to all “old and new” cases existing at a given point or
period of time in a given population.
A broader definition of prevalence is
The total number of all individuals who have an attribute or disease at this point in time or
mid-way through the period.

TYPES OF PREVALENCE:

It is of two types

 Point prevalence
 Period prevalence

1. Point prevalence:
Point prevalence is defined as the number of all current cases (old and new) of a disease
at one point in relation to a defined population. Point consists of several days, week, etc.
It is given by the formula:

Number of all current cases of a specified disease

Existing at a given point of time
_____________________________________________ *100
Estimated population at the same point in time

2. Period prevalence:
It includes cases arising before but extending into or through the year as well as those
cases arising during the year

Number of existing cases (old and new) of a specified disease

during a given period of time interval
__________________________________________________________* 100
Estimated mid-interval population at- risk

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PREVALENCE AND INCIDENCE:

Relationship between prevalence and incidence

P = I x D Prevalence
= incidence x duration Prevalence
Uses of prevalence:

 Estimate the magnitude of disease in the community and identify high risk
population.
 Prevalence are helpful in administrative and planning purposes e.g.: hospital beds,
manpower needs, rehabilitation facilities

Morbidity indicators:

 Morbidity indicators Incidence and prevalence Notification rates.

 Attendance of O.P.D Admission readmission and discharge rates.
 Duration of stay in hospital Spells of sickness or absence from work or school

CONCLUSION:
To describe health in terms of mortality rates only is misleading. This is because, mortality
indicators do not reveal the burden of ill-health in a community. E.g. mental illness and
rheumatoid arthritis.
Therefore, morbidity indicators are used to supplement mortality data to describe the health
status of a population.