Incontinence aids in Sweden: users and costs.
OBJECTIVE
To study age- and sex-specific use and costs of incontinence aids distributed free of charge in Sweden.


METHODS
The study was conducted in the county of Jämtland, Sweden (132,000 inhabitants). The use and cost of incontinence aids for people living in their homes and the total cost of incontinence aids for residents of special accommodation (e.g. nursing homes, homes for the elderly and sheltered housing) was obtained from a central database constructed for the purpose. Individual usage of incontinence aids by those in special accommodation was studied in two districts of Jämtland, representing 18% of the population.


RESULTS
Free incontinence products were used by 6.4% of all women and 2.4% of all men in the county. There was a sharp increase in usage from the age of 75 years. Of the users, 21% lived in special accommodation. If the data from Jämtland are extrapolated nationally, then 274,000 women and 93,000 men in Sweden (total population 8.8 million) are using free incontinence products. The total cost of incontinence aids for Jämtland during 1999 was 15.4 million Swedish krona (SK), and those in special accommodation accounted for 46% of these costs. This corresponds to an estimated total cost in Sweden of approximately 925 million SK. Although 75% of the users were women, women only contributed 61% of the total costs. The mean annual cost of incontinence aids for an incontinent man was twice that of an incontinent woman. More than half of the costs were attributable to those aged >or=80 years.


CONCLUSIONS
The estimated national costs of free incontinence aids accounts for 0.5% of the total costs of Swedish healthcare, including the care and nursing of older and disabled people, and for 0.05% of the gross national product.
Samuelsson
E
E
Krokoms Health Centre and the Research & Development Unit, The County Council of Jamtland, Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Family Medicine, Umeå University, Sweden.
Månsson
L
L
Milsom
I
I
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016496:Incontinence Pads / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*