Final answer:
Morbidity measures the incidence of disease or illness in a population, while mortality measures the occurrence of death. Morbidity is expressed as a rate or percentage of affected individuals, whereas mortality is often measured per 100,000 individuals or as a percentage of the population.
Step-by-step explanation:
The difference between morbidity and mortality is primarily the distinction between illness and death within a population. Morbidity refers to the state of illness or the overall incidence of disease in a population. It can be measured as the number of individuals with a disease during a certain period of time, often expressed as a rate out of a standard population number, like 100,000, or as a percentage of the population. The morbidity rate provides insights into the prevalence and impact of diseases within a community. On the other hand, mortality indicates the occurrence of death and is measured by the mortality rate, which reflects the number of deaths due to a particular disease within a specified population and time frame, also often per 100,000 individuals or as a percentage of the population. This measurement helps to understand the severity and fatality of diseases.