Term: Incidence / Incidence Rate

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Glossary Definition

Last Updated: 2015-05-12

Definition:

Incidence is the number of new cases of a specific disease/condition/event over a specified time period. The incidence rate counts new cases in the numerator; individuals with a history of the disease/condition/event are not included. The denominator for incidence rates is the population at risk. Even though individuals who have already developed the condition should be eliminated from the denominator, incidence rates are often expressed based on the average population rather than the population at risk. In the case of chronic conditions, where most people appear to be at risk, the distinction between populations at risk and the whole population appears to be less critical.

In The Cost of Smoking: A Manitoba Study deliverable, individuals with a history of the condition were not included in either the numerator or denominator. Thus, the denominator only included the population at risk of developing the disease or having the event (Martens et al., 2015).

Related concepts 

• Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) Use
• Prevalence and Incidence

Related terms 

• Breast Cancer Incidence
• Canadian Chronic Disease Surveillance System (CCDSS)
• Cervical Cancer Incidence
• Colorectal Cancer Incidence
• Incident
• Longitudinal Survey
• Lung Cancer Incidence and Prevalence
• Period Prevalence
• Person-Years / Person Years
• Prevalence
• Relative Rate (RR)
• Strongly-Smoking-Associated-Cancer Incidence

References 

• Martens P, Nickel N, Forget E, Lix L, Turner D, Prior H, Walld R, Soodeen RA, Rajotte L, Ekuma O. The Cost of Smoking: A Manitoba Study. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, 2015. [Report] [Summary] [Updates and Errata] [Additional Materials] (View)
• Martens PJ, Fransoo R, The Need to Know Team, Burland E, Jebamani L, Burchill C, Black C, Dik N, MacWilliam L, Derksen S, Walld R, Steinbach C, Dahl M. The Manitoba RHA Indicators Atlas: Population-Based Comparison of Health and Health Care Use. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, 2003. [Report] [Summary] [Additional Materials] (View)

Term used in 

• Chartier M, Finlayson G, Prior H, McGowan K, Chen H, de Rocquigny J, Walld R, Gousseau M. Health and Healthcare Utilization of Francophones in Manitoba. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, 2012. [Report] [Summary] (View)
• Finlayson G, Ekuma O, Yogendran M, Burland E, Forget E. The Additional Cost of Chronic Disease in Manitoba. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, 2010. [Report] [Summary] (View)
• Fransoo R, Martens P, Prior H, Chateau D, McDougall C, Schultz J, McGowan K, Soodeen R, Bailly A. Adult Obesity in Manitoba: Prevalence, Associations, and Outcomes. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, 2011. [Report] [Summary] (View)
• Fransoo R, Martens P, Burland E, The Need to Know Team, Prior H, Burchill C. Manitoba RHA Indicators Atlas 2009. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, 2009. [Report] [Summary] [Additional Materials] (View)
• Fransoo R, Martens P, The Need to Know Team, Burland E, Prior H, Burchill C, Chateau D, Walld R. Sex Differences in Health Status, Health Care Use, and Quality of Care: A Population-Based Analysis for Manitoba's Regional Health Authorities. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, 2005. [Report] [Summary] [Additional Materials] (View)
• Fransoo R, Martens P, The Need to Know Team, Prior H, Burchill C, Koseva I, Bailly A, Allegro E. The 2013 RHA Indicators Atlas. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, 2013. [Report] [Summary] [Additional Materials] (View)
• Garland A, Fransoo R, Olafson K, Ramsey C, Yogendran M, Chateau D, McGowan K. The Epidemiology and Outcomes of Critical Illness in Manitoba. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, 2012. [Report] [Summary] (View)
• Katz A, Avery Kinew K, Star L, Taylor C, Koseva I, Lavoie J, Burchill C, Urquia M, Basham A, Rajotte L, Ramayanam V, Jarmasz J, Burchill S. The Health Status of and Access to Healthcare by Registered First Nation Peoples in Manitoba. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, 2019. [Report] [Summary] [Updates and Errata] [Additional Materials] (View)
• Kozyrskyj A, Raymond C, Dahl M, Ekuma O, Schultz J, Sklepowich M, Bond R. Effects of Manitoba Pharmacare Formulary Policy on Utilization of Prescription Medications. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, 2009. [Report] [Summary] (View)
• Lix L, Yogendran M, Burchill C, Metge C, McKeen N, Moore D, Bond R. Defining and Validating Chronic Diseases: An Administrative Data Approach. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, 2006. [Report] [Summary] (View)
• Martens P, Fransoo R, The Need to Know Team, Burland E, Prior H, Burchill C, Romphf L, Chateau D, Bailly A, Ouelette C. What Works? A First Look at Evaluating Manitoba's Regional Health Programs and Policies at the Population Level. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, 2008. [Report] [Summary] [Additional Materials] (View)
• Shapiro E. Manitoba Health Care Studies and their Policy Implications (Report #91-04-01). Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy and Evaluation, 1991. [Report] (View)