Question

Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is a common childhood illness. On December 5, a local preschool reported 52 existing cases of HFMD to the health department. By the end of December, the preschool reported 128 new cases of HFMD. The total number of students who missed at least one day of school in the month of December due to HFMD was 180, or 18% of the student body. Is the 18% the incidence, period prevalence, or point prevalence?

Incidence

Period Prevalence

Point Prevalence

Answer 1

The 18% of the student body who missed school because of HFMD during December represents the period prevalence, which includes both existing and new cases within a specific time frame.

Step-by-step explanation:

The 18% of the student body who missed at least one day of school due to Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease (HFMD) in the month of December represents the period prevalence. Period prevalence considers the proportion of individuals with a particular illness in a population over a specified period, which in this case, is the month of December. The figure combines both existing and new cases during that time frame. Incidence would only account for the 128 new cases reported. The term point prevalence would be used if we were looking at how many students had HFMD at a particular point in time, like on December 5 when there were 52 existing cases.