Quality of life issues in continence care

Urinary and faecal incontinence affect a significant proportion of the population. Both types of incontinence can limit activities of daily living, restrict the individual's ability to function in society and, as a consequence, affect quality of life. Simple treatments and management strategies can be effective, however non-disclosure of symptoms by patients and lack of active diagnosis by clinicians pose significant barriers to the identification of individuals with incontinence, resulting in poor access to treatment. This article will enable readers to identify opportunities within their own practice to focus on quality of life issues in patients with continence problems. Close examination of local practices will help identify goals for improving standards of care for these patients.