In a community survey, 500 people have active untreated dental caries on the day of the survey, out of 10,000 surveyed. Which term applies?

In a community survey, 500 people have active untreated dental caries on the day of the survey, out of 10,000 surveyed. Which term applies?

• A. Incidence
• B. Prevalence
• C. Morbidity
• D. Mortality

Answer: (B)

This is about measuring how many people have the condition at a single moment in time. Because the survey checks on the day of the survey who has active untreated dental caries, it captures existing cases on that day—a point prevalence. It tells you the proportion of the population with the condition at that moment, which is 500 out of 10,000, or 5%. If you were counting new cases developing over a period, that would be incidence. Morbidity is a broader term describing illness or disease burden, not a specific snapshot or rate, and mortality refers to death.

This is about measuring how many people have the condition at a single moment in time. Because the survey checks on the day of the survey who has active untreated dental caries, it captures existing cases on that day—a point prevalence. It tells you the proportion of the population with the condition at that moment, which is 500 out of 10,000, or 5%.

If you were counting new cases developing over a period, that would be incidence. Morbidity is a broader term describing illness or disease burden, not a specific snapshot or rate, and mortality refers to death.