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The Financial Burden of Stress Urinary Incontinence Among Women in the United States

Current Urology Reports volume 12, pages 358–362 (2011)Cite this article

Abstract

Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is a common medical problem affecting 25% to 50% of women in the United States. This article reviews the literature on the current systems- and population-based costs of management of SUI in women. A PubMed search was conducted to seek studies examining the cost of various management options. Both nonsurgical and surgical management can effectively improve symptoms of SUI at a wide spectrum of costs. Over $12 billion are spent annually, an amount that continues to grow. Patients pay out-of-pocket for 70% of conservative management, amounting to a significant individual financial burden. Systems-based cost of SUI management continues to rise with the aging population. Costs to both individuals and systems may be mitigated if more patients are treated with intent to cure and as surgical management transitions from inpatient to outpatient procedures.

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No potential conflicts of interest relevant to this article were reported.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA

    Erin C. Chong & Aqsa A. Khan

  2. Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 99 La Cienega Boulevard, #307, Beverly Hills, CA, 90211, USA

    Jennifer T. Anger

Authors
  1. Erin C. Chong
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  2. Aqsa A. Khan
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  3. Jennifer T. Anger
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Correspondence to Jennifer T. Anger.

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Chong, E.C., Khan, A.A. & Anger, J.T. The Financial Burden of Stress Urinary Incontinence Among Women in the United States. Curr Urol Rep 12, 358–362 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11934-011-0209-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11934-011-0209-x

Keywords

  • Stress urinary incontinence
  • SUI
  • Financial burden
  • Cost
  • Female urology
  • Women’s health
  • Incontinence management
  • Quality-adjusted life ears
  • QALY