Urinary Incontinence (UI) is defined as the involuntary leakage of urine. UI is a debilitating condition that impacts the physical and emotional wellbeing of sufferers.

The main types of UI are: Stress UI – Leakage when you: laugh, cough, sneeze, exercise, bend over, lift something heavy, etc.; Urge UI – Leakage due to a sudden, intense urgency to go to the bathroom; Overflow UI – Frequent or constant dribbling of urine without the urge to urinate, or an inability to urinate a normal amount; and Functional UI – Leakage due to a physical or mental disability that prevents you from reaching the bathroom

The Canadian Continence Foundation (CCF) estimates that 3.5 million Canadians experience UI. The Canadian Urinary Bladder Survey estimates that 16% of men and 33% of women over 40 have UI. The size of the Canadian market is significant, with over 1.1 million male UI sufferers, of which approximately 270,000 have stress UI. CCF commissioned Incontinence: The Canadian Perspective and highlighted the following: UI affects an individual’s independence and ability to function in daily life; and Canadians with UI have more frequent visits to their physicians and spend more time in hospitals and nursing homes than those Canadians without UI.

CCF estimates that the annual direct costs of UI are approximately $1,400 to $2,100 for a Canadian senior living at home (i.e. for incontinence supplies) and approximately $4,000 to $14,000 for a Canadian senior living in a long-term care facility (i.e. for supplies plus direct nursing care). After considering laundry, clothing and linen changes, as well as supply costs and non-nursing time, the total direct costs of UI in Canada exceed $1 billion per year.

The leading causes of UI in men include: nerve related physical changes: from prostate cancer treatment/surgery, severe trauma, injuries to the spinal cord or urinary system, birth defects; disease related neurological disorders: Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, Stroke, MS; and bladder, bowel and urinary track related issues: diabetes, urinary tract infections, bladder irritants, blocked urethra or medications such as sedatives.