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Prevalence and Incidence in the Study of Antisocial Behavior: Definitions and Measurements

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Book cover Cross-National Research in Self-Reported Crime and Delinquency

Part of the book series: NATO ASI Series ((ASID,volume 50))

Abstract

In epidemiology, the concepts of prevalence and incidence are central (Bradford Hill, 1977; Last, 1983; Morris, 1975). Basically, prevalence (or prevalence rate) refers to the number of diseases or spells of disease existing at a particular point in time or within a specified time period related to the total number of persons exposed to risk (a population or a defined group of people). Incidence (or incidence rate) on the other hand measures the rate of appearance of new cases in the group or population, i.e., the number of diseases/spells of disease beginning within a specified period of time related to the total number of persons exposed to risk during that period.1

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© 1989 Kluwer Academic Publishers

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Olweus, D. (1989). Prevalence and Incidence in the Study of Antisocial Behavior: Definitions and Measurements. In: Klein, M.W. (eds) Cross-National Research in Self-Reported Crime and Delinquency. NATO ASI Series, vol 50. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-1001-0_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-1001-0_9

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-6940-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-009-1001-0

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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