Kuolevuus

Kuolevuus is a Finnish noun that denotes the quality or degree related to death in different scientific contexts. In practice, the term is used to describe two related concepts depending on the field: mortality in populations and lethality of agents or substances.

In epidemiology and demography, kuolevuus commonly refers to mortality or the rate at which deaths occur within a population over a given period. It is influenced by factors such as age structure, health care, and living conditions, and it is used to assess public health, disease impact, and the effects of environmental or social factors. Mortality can be expressed in crude terms or broken down into age-specific or cause-specific rates to provide a more detailed picture of population health.

In toxicology, pharmacology, and biology, kuolevuus describes lethality—the capacity of a pathogen, toxin, or other agent to cause death. Discussions of lethality often involve dose–response concepts, such as lethal dose metrics, or the proportion of deaths among exposed individuals. It is important to recognize that lethality depends on context, including exposure level, the host’s health, and available treatment.

Etymology: kuolevuus derives from the root kuole-, related to death, with the suffix -vuus forming a noun.

See also: mortality rate, lethality, virulence, case fatality rate

Notes: In some contexts, kuolevuus may be used alongside or replaced by terms like kuolleisuus to avoid ambiguity, depending on discipline and tradition.