Statistics

Over 14 million suffering from either urge or stress incontinence. Studies have also shown that women are twice as likely to suffer from incontinence compared to men.

How Many People Are Affected By Incontinence?

Statistics on Urinary incontinence is a condition that affects 14 million people in the UK (1). It is a condition that causes involuntary leakage of urine, which can be caused by a variety of factors such as weakened pelvic floor muscles, pregnancy, childbirth, or age. 

It can be a difficult condition to manage, but with the right support and treatment, it can be managed.

What are the types of Incontinence?

Incontinence is a medical condition in which an individual has difficulty controlling their bladder or bowel movements (2). There are several different types of incontinence, including:

Stress Incontinence – occurs when physical movement or activity (coughing, sneezing, laughing, etc.) puts pressure on the bladder and causes involuntary leakage of urine 

Urgency Incontinence – occurs when an individual has a sudden, strong urge to urinate followed by involuntary leakage of urine

Overflow Incontinence – occurs when there is an inability to fully empty the bladder due to weak bladder muscles or nerve damage

Functional Incontinence – occurs when a person has normal bladder control but cannot get to the bathroom in time due to either physical or cognitive limitations.

Faecal Incontinence – is a condition in which a person has difficulty controlling their bowel movements, leading to the involuntary release of faeces. (3)

Symptoms of faecal incontinence can include accidents involving staining of clothes or leakage, urgency or difficulty in controlling the urge to defecate, and abdominal cramping.

Urgency Incontinence

Statistics on most common form on incontinence? 

The most common form of incontinence in the UK is stress urinary incontinence (SUI), which occurs when physical movement or activity, such as coughing, sneezing, laughing, or exercising, places pressure on the bladder that results in urine leakage.

According to a review published in 2018 by The Cochrane Library, up to 81% of women with SUI (4) will experience some improvement in their symptoms following treatment. This was based on data from 12 randomized controlled trials involving almost 3,000 women.

Additionally, a study published in 2019 in the journal BJU International found that SUI (5) was the most common type of urinary incontinence among nearly 500 women aged 40 to 80 who participated in the survey.

References 

(1) https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/

research-briefings/cdp-2023-0145/

(2) https://www.nice.org.uk/Guidance/

Conditions-and-diseases/Neurological-conditions/Urinary-incontinence

(3) https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/conditions-and-diseases/digestive-tract-conditions/faecal-incontinence

(4) https://www.cochrane.org/CD012337/INCONT_conservative-interventions-urinary-incontinence-women-overview-cochrane-reviews

(5) https://bjui-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/bju.14541