Faecal and urinary incontinence affects a growing number of people around the world, but some experts feel it is not receiving the focus or the funding that it deserves. MANSOOR PARVAIZ discusses the opportunity for institutions like the NHS to review the way that continence care is organised and free up resources to improve the quality of life of incontinence suffers. In particular he examines the findings of a new report, which offers guidance for policy makers, payers and clinicians across the globe.
ncontinence is classed as a set of diseases by the World Health Organization (WHO) affecting 4%-8% of the world’s population and at least 400 million people worldwide. A UK study revealed that approximately 23% of women and 8.7% of men in Great Britain aged over 40 have urinary loss symptoms and that the prevalence and frequency increases with age.1-3
From the perspective of the NHS, the cost of care provision is high with the direct costs of urinary incontinence reported to be greater than those associated with many chronic common illnesses such as coronary care and cancer care.4 The impact on the acute sector is also extremely significant. For instance, according to recent research by the Intensive Care Society, acute faecal incontinence with diarrhoea has been reported to affect up to 40% of patients in intensive care units creating a significant burden in nursing time and hospital resources.5
Yet despite its high prevalence, incontinence is one of the least discussed and most poorly understood conditions in public, health professional and policy maker and payer circles.
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