Women with urinary incontinence in Spain: Health-related quality of life and the use of healthcare resources.
OBJECTIVE
To describe Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) and healthcare resource utilization in women aged 60 and over in Spain.


METHODS
Descriptive analysis of primary data from the Spanish National Health Survey, 2012.


METHODS
Utility indices were obtained through the EQ5D5L questionnaire included in the survey, and utilization rates of consultations, hospitalizations, emergency services, and medication intake. HRQOL and utilization rates were systematically compared between women diagnosed with UI, women diagnosed with other chronic conditions (OCC) and healthy women of the same age.


RESULTS
Utility indices were 0.47 in UI women versus 0.78 and 0.96 in women diagnosed with OCC and healthy women, respectively. Each year 351,675 Quality Adjusted Life Years are lost in Spain due to UI in the population of women aged 60 and over. Resource utilization of these women was significantly higher than that of other women.


CONCLUSIONS
UI has a larger impact on both HRQOL and healthcare consumption in women who are aged 60 and over, than OCC. Appropriate treatment of UI might entail an important gain in terms of HRQOL and a significant reduction in healthcare consumption in Spain.
Instituto Max Weber, Calle Las Norias, 123, Majadahonda, 28221 Madrid, Spain. Electronic address: renata.villoro@imw.es.
Renata
R
Villoro
Instituto Max Weber, Calle Las Norias, 123, Majadahonda, 28221 Madrid, Spain.
María
M
Merino
Department of Economics, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Facultad de Ciencias Jurídicas y Sociales de Toledo, Cobertizo de San Pedro Mártir s/n., Toledo, 45071, Spain.
Alvaro
A
Hidalgo-Vega
Instituto Max Weber, Calle Las Norias, 123, Majadahonda, 28221 Madrid, Spain.
Margarita
M
Jiménez
Instituto Max Weber, Calle Las Norias, 123, Majadahonda, 28221 Madrid, Spain.
Lucía
L
Martínez
Allergan, International Market Access Area, 1st floor Marlow International Parkway, Marlow, Bucks SL7 1YL, United Kingdom.
Javier
J
Aracil
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006295:Health Resources; D006296:Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011788:Quality of Life; D012737:Sex Factors; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D055815:Young Adult
Healthcare consumption; Quality of life; Spain; Urinary incontinence