World Continence Week is held every June to shine a light on one of Australia's most common and most under-discussed health conditions. This year's theme is a reminder that incontinence doesn't belong to any one age group, gender, or life stage. It is a condition that touches Australians from childhood through to old age, and the conversation needs to be just as broad.
In 2023, there were over 7.2 million people with incontinence in Australia - representing 1 in 3 people over the age of 15. The average age of someone experiencing incontinence in Australia is 51 years. Yet awareness, product access, and willingness to seek help remain inconsistent across different age groups and life stages.
Here's what incontinence looks like across the lifespan, and how the right support can make a difference at every stage.
Children and young people
Bedwetting is the most common form of incontinence in children, and it is far more prevalent than most parents realise. It is a normal developmental variation - not a behavioural issue - and most children outgrow it with time. For children with additional needs, including autism, cerebral palsy, or intellectual disability, continence challenges may persist longer and require specialist support.
Youth continence products play an important role in maintaining dignity and confidence during what can be a difficult time for families. Options include the iD Comfy Junior range for older children and teens, absorbent swim pants for water activities, and pull-up style underwear that looks and feels like regular clothing.
Adults under 65
7 in 10 people with incontinence are younger than 65 years. This surprises many people - incontinence is widely assumed to be an older person's condition. In reality, it affects people following childbirth, those living with neurological conditions, people recovering from surgery, athletes, and those managing chronic health conditions including diabetes and obesity.
For working-age adults, unmanaged incontinence has real flow-on effects for workplace confidence, social participation, and mental health. Finding the right product - and the right professional support - makes an enormous practical difference.
Older Australians
As people age, the likelihood of incontinence increases - due to prostate changes in men, pelvic floor changes in women, and the cumulative effects of other health conditions. For people in aged care or receiving home care, continence management is often a daily reality for both the individual and their carer.
The range of products available for older adults is broad - from discreet pull-up pants for active daily use through to drainage bags and catheter systems for more complex needs. NDIS and aged care funding can assist with access for those who are eligible.
Seeking help
Almost 6 in 10 people experiencing urinary incontinence talked to their GP about support options. That means 4 in 10 are managing alone. World Continence Week is a prompt to change that - to book the appointment, start the conversation, or simply find out what products are available.
At IncontinenceProducts.com.au, we stock products for every age group and every level of need - from light daily pads to full catheter management systems. Our team is available on (02) 9531 2011, and as an NDIS registered provider, we can assist participants in accessing products through their plans.
Sources
- Continence Foundation of Australia - Key Statistics: continence.org.au/about-us/our-work/key-statistics-incontinence
- Continence Foundation of Australia - Statistics on Incontinence: continence.org.au/about-incontinence/what-is-incontinence/statistics-on-incontinence