What Americans understand and how they are affected by bladder control problems: highlights of recent nationwide consumer research.

Over the last 5 years, the National Association For Continence has sponsored epidemiologic surveys of adults across the United States in order to quantify the prevalence of bladder control problems in the community, to understand how quality of life of those people experiencing these medical disorders is affected, and what beliefs people in general hold surrounding bladder health. Collectively, these nationwide surveys offer statistically significant documentation of how widespread, how far-reaching, how misunderstood, and how real the symptoms of urinary incontinence and related symptoms of overactive bladder are, and lay a foundation to support future investment in research, education, and collaboration.