How Common Is Urinary Incontinence?

Here are some numbers about urinary incontinence:^{footnote 1}

• The likelihood of having incontinence increases with age.
• Urinary incontinence is at least twice as common in women as in men.
• Between 3 and 6 out of 10 middle-aged and older women report having any incontinence.
• Between 1 and 4 out of 10 older men report having any incontinence.
• About 1 or 2 out of 10 middle-aged and older women report having daily urinary incontinence.
• Fewer than 1 out of 10 older men report having daily urinary incontinence.
• White women are more likely to have stress urinary incontinence compared to African-American and Asian women.

• Up to 3 out of 10 older adults living at home have problems with urinary incontinence.^{footnote 2}
• About 3 out of 10 older adults in the hospital have incontinence.^{footnote 2}
• About 5 out of 10 older adults living in nursing homes or other long-term care facilities have incontinence.^{footnote 2}