Being my first blog let’s start with a simple but very important concept.

What are the terms mortality and morbidity? Heard of it, come across it, and know it but still it confuses us, right.

Mortality comes from the Latin word mortalis which simply means mortal or death.

Morbidity comes from the Latin word morbidus which means diseased, sick, ailment, and illness.

Now why am I talking about these concepts. It is because the mortality and the morbidity rates of a particular region or population determines their healthcare status. It plays a very vital role in the development of that region in all aspects. If the rates are very high it means that the particular region is being backward and needs improvement.

How to calculate the mortality and morbidity rates? Its very simple just follow the following formulas.

Mortality rate = (Number of deaths from a specific cause / Total number of deaths in the population) × 100

Morbidity rate is based on two indicators. They are the incidence (new cases with a particular disease) and prevalence (old cases) rate.

Incidence rate = (Total number of new cases of a specific disease during a given time period / Total population at risk during the same time period) × 100

Prevalence rate = (All new and pre existing cases of a specific disease during a given time period / Total population during the same time period) × 100

Mortality means death and morbidity means disease.