Urinary incontinence is a condition in which involuntary loss of urine is objectively demonstrated and results in a social or hygienic problem. A poll conducted for the Association for Continence Advice estimated that up to three million people in the UK suffer from incontinence. The incontinence may be transient, e.g. as a result of a urinary tract infection, or permanent, e.g. as a result of damage to the pelvic floor. Many sufferers may not seek medical advice for their predicament and the figures given above may be a gross underestimation of the problem.
Jeyaseelan, S. M., Oldham, J. A., & Roe, B. (1997). The use of perineal pad testing to assess urinary incontinence. Reviews in Clinical Gerontology, 7, 83-92. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0959259897000099