CDC: Half of all seniors deal with incontinence

ATLANTA — Slightly more than half of all seniors who are not in an assisted living situation reported having issues with incontinence, according to a report released Wednesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Of the 50.9% who reported incontinence, 43.8% reported a urinary leakage, and 17.3% reported an accidental bowel leakage. Among those who reported an incontinence episode, the majority reported urinary but not accidental bowel leakage, while 10.6% of noninstitutionalized persons reported both urinary and bowel leakage.

More than one-half of noninstitutionalized women and more than one-quarter of noninstitutionalized men aged 65 and over reported a urinary leakage, CDC added. 

Restricting the definition of bladder incontinence to include only moderate, severe and very severe levels of incontinence reduced the percentage with bladder incontinence among noninstitutionalized men and women from 43.8% to 24%. When only severe and very severe levels were considered, the percentage with bladder incontinence was 8.1%. 

Among non-Hispanic white women, the percentage with urinary leakage was 1.8 times higher compared with non-Hispanic black women (58.3% compared with 33.4%). Observed differences in urinary leakage rates among noninstitutionalized persons by age, poverty level, level of education or marital status were not statistically significant.

"Incontinence presents a significant financial burden to the individual and to society," the CDC stated in its report. "In the United States, the cost of bladder incontinence among adults in 2000 was estimated at $19.5 billion, with $14.2 billion incurred by community residents and $5.3 billion by institutional residents. A majority (50%–75%) of the costs are attributed to resources used for incontinence management or 'routine care’ such as absorbent pads, protection and laundry."

In older persons, incontinence is associated with multiple interacting factors, including chronic conditions such as diabetes and stroke, cognitive impairment, and mobility impairment. Bladder incontinence may be caused by conditions such as age-related changes in the lower urinary tract, urinary tract infection and conditions not directly related to the genitourinary system, such as diabetes, cancer, stroke, cognitive impairment and mobility impairment.