Approach to the evaluation and treatment of stress urinary incontinence in women

Urinary incontinence in women is a common problem with a significant impact on the quality of life of individuals and the well-being of the community. While economic impact data in India is lacking, the direct expenditure on management of urinary incontinence is about 20 billion dollars in the USA, which is more than the cost incurred in the treatment of cancers of the breast, uterus, cervix and ovary combined!1 This data is unlikely to be applicable to India, since urinary incontinence is essentially a quality of life problem while many other diseases with a more obvious health impact are likely to get priority spending in an Indian household.