Economic costs of urinary incontinence in 1995

Urinary incontinence imposes a significant financial burden on individuals, their families, and healthcare organizations. For individuals 65 years of age and older these costs are substantial, increasing from $8.2 billion (1984 dollars) to $16.4 billion (1993 dollars). Both of these cost-of-illness estimates, however, relied on data and factors that have changed over time. This study updates these cost estimates. The 1995 societal cost of incontinence for individuals aged 65 years and older was $26.3 billion, or $3565 per individual with urinary incontinence. Limitations, implications, and directions for future research are also discussed. (C) 1998, Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.