Open AccessThe prevalence of urinary incontinence
Author(s) -
MILSOM IAN
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
acta obstetricia et gynecologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.401
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1600-0412
pISSN - 0001-6349
DOI - 10.1034/j.1600-0412.2000.0790121056.x
Subject(s) - medicine , urinary incontinence , population , urinary system , gynecology , health care , gerontology , demography , environmental health , urology , sociology , economics , economic growth
Urinary incontinence is one of the most important health problems confronting modern society. More than 50 million men and women throughout the world are afflicted. Population studies have demonstrated that approximately 10% of all women suffer from urinary incontinence. Prevalence figures increase with increasing age and in women aged ≥70 years more than 20% of the female population are affected. Urinary incontinence not only causes considerable personal suffering for the individual afflicted but is also of immense economic importance for the health service. The annual cost of urinary incontinence in Sweden in 1990 accounted for 2% of the total health care costs.