The population impact number is the projected reduction in the number of cases for a specific health outcome (mental health ED visits, cardiovascular hospitalizations, etc.) if each income group experienced the rate of the highest income group.). As the rate for a specific health outcome goes up in the general population, the population impact number will tend to increase. Therefore, although cardiovascular disease (CVD) hospitalizations has a modest relative rate of 1.45 (among the lowest for health equity areas assessed), the population impact number is high (1166) due to the rate for CVD hospitalizations being high (965/100,000 for 2016-17).
