Prevalence

Prevalence is “the number or proportion (of cases, instances, and so forth) in a population at a given time. In relation to cancer, prevalence refers to the number of people alive who had been diagnosed with cancer.” (AIHW) 

The prevalence of a condition is used to determine the number of people affected by the health issue. The higher the prevalence the greater the health issue, which may then be identified as a priority health issue in Australia.

Prevalent conditions

There are many current conditions that are high in prevalence and have become priority health issues. These include:

  • Cardiovascular disease – has been a priority health issue for a long time in Australia and will continue to be long into our future.
  • Cancers – have been a growing priority in Australia, although the decreased smoking rate is helping.
  • Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease – affect many Australians today, particularly the elderly.
  • Diabetes – is not only prevalent in Australia but has an increasing incidence, making it a very high priority issue for Australia’s health.
  • Cerebrovascular disease – like cardiovascular disease continues to be a major health issue and has similar underlying causes as cardiovascular disease.

Incidence

Incidence is very different from prevalence. Incidence refers to the number of new cases diagnosed in a specific time period and is helpful to understand the current trends in diseases. For example, if the number of new cases in a 6-month period is less than it has been over the previous 6 months the trend will be downward, showing a decreasing trend in the disease.