National public health policies for prevention and care in urinary incontinence in the elderly

The socioeconomic problems of urinary and fecal incontinence differ from culture to culture. Therefore, it is impossible to make a general statement that is valid for the whole world. Incontinence is not a life-threatening condition. Indeed, in many countries, in particular in developing countries, incontinence is not regarded as a problem by the general public or the government. Instead, it may be perceived as a burden on the family. Incontinence, on the other hand, plays a major role in those countries where the population has an extended life expectancy and where the standard of living allows quality-of-life health issues to be addressed.