Informal caregiving time and costs for urinary incontinence in older individuals in the United States.
OBJECTIVE
To obtain nationally representative estimates of the additional time, and related cost, of informal caregiving associated with urinary incontinence in older individuals.


METHODS
Multivariate regression models using data from the 1993 Asset and Health Dynamics Study, a nationally representative survey of people aged 70 and older (N = 7,443).


METHODS
Community-dwelling older people.


METHODS
National population-based sample of community-dwelling older people.


METHODS
Weekly hours of informal caregiving, and imputed cost of caregiver time, for community-dwelling older people who reported (1) no unintended urine loss, (2) incontinence that did not require the use of absorbent pads, and (3) incontinence that required the use of absorbent pads.


RESULTS
Thirteen percent of men and 24% of women reported incontinence. After adjusting for sociodemographics, living situation, and comorbidities, continent men received 7.4 hours per week of care, incontinent men who did not use pads received 11.3 hours, and incontinent men who used pads received 16.6 hours (P <.001). Women in these groups received 5.9, 7.6, and 10.7 hours (P <.001), respectively. The additional yearly cost of informal care associated with incontinence was $1,700 and $4,000 for incontinent men who did not and did use pads, respectively, whereas, for women in these groups, the additional yearly cost was $700 and $2,000. Overall, this represents a national annual cost of more than $6 billion for incontinence-related informal care.


CONCLUSIONS
The quantity of informal caregiving for older people with incontinence and its associated economic cost are substantial. Future analyses of the costs of incontinence, and the cost-effectiveness of interventions to prevent or treat incontinence, should consider the significant informal caregiving costs associated with this condition.
Langa
Kenneth M
KM
Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA. klanga@umich.edu
Fultz
Nancy H
NH
Saint
Sanjay
S
Kabeto
Mohammed U
MU
Herzog
A Regula
AR
D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015897:Comorbidity; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016496:Incontinence Pads / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology