World Continence Week is run every year by the International Continence Society, to raise awareness of incontinence related issues such as bladder and bowel conditions.
This years drive for awareness is taking place between June 20th – 26th 2022, with the focus being on Sustainable Continence Care. Something we feel very passionate about!
Continence conditions are more common than you’d think
It might be cliché to say that those with continence conditions suffer in silence, but there is a definite lack of visibility around them. It’s estimated that around 300 million people around the world suffer from some form of continence condition, and in the UK alone it’s approximately 7 million people. That means that continence conditions are more common than hayfever.
However, many of those dealing with continence conditions find themselves doing this alone.
It’s estimated that up to 80% of people effected by continence issues never speak to their GP or healthcare professional. That would make the above numbers even higher – a truly shocking statistic.
Where does sustainability come into continence?
We’ve already established that a large section of the population struggles with continence, yet despite those numbers the world around us is designed for those who don’t. Societies are built as if everyone were always in full control of their bladder and bowels. Public toilets, particularly those for men, often do not have suitable waste disposal options. Even housing design does not account for storage and disposal of things like catheter supplies or incontinence pads.
In OECD countries alone, adult incontinence pads make about 5% of municipal waste, contributing to climate change through incineration and landfill.
Whilst there are pushes to improve on this, they are still in their infancy. Improving the infrastructure, care and the overall visibility for those with continence conditions could have a big impact – on individual lives and the world as a whole.
That’s where World Continence Week comes in
The push for conversation, visibility and removing the stigma is the main aim for World Continence Week. The more we talk about continence concerns, the better. Often times, incontinence conditions can be treated, improved or more effectively managed with the help of a healthcare professional. It just needs that first step of speaking to someone about it.
What to do if you are affected
Speaking to a healthcare professional is always the most helpful and most effective way to deal with continence issues. It can be scary and it can be uncomfortable, but in many cases your situation can be improved on. Continence issues can take many forms, and we have several resources online if you want to investigate further into what might be troubling you.
- Your Continence Basics
- What is causing my bladder pain?
- Symptoms & causes of bladder issues
- Everything you need to know about urge incontinence
- Everything you need to know about UTIs
- Everything you need to know about stress incontinence
The NHS Urinary Incontinence page offers more information about symptoms, treatments and services available to you.
But the most useful piece of advice we can give is to speak to your healthcare professional – you’re not alone in this and help can be given.