Adult Incontinence: Smart Adhesives Start With Understanding the Condition

From a little dribble or the occasional “oops” to a complete loss of bladder control, more than 400 million people worldwide experience episodes of adult incontinence. This number continues to grow as the population ages, the market grows in emerging geographies and people experience incontinence as a part of getting older. 

The meaning of incontinence goes far beyond involuntary leakage. For many adults living with the condition—and the vast number of their caregivers—incontinence means so much more. In order to create products that meet consumer needs and exceed their expectations, we must first understand how incontinence impacts their lives.

Seeing adult incontinence through the eyes of the product user

The adult incontinence market attracts a variety of consumers who have an even wider range of needs and expectations for the products they use:

• Active adults want the freedom to live without the shame, embarrassment or fear of having others know they struggle with incontinence.
• Patients who are permanently bedridden and those bedbound for a limited time want a product that does not add to their stress. .
• Caregivers, both medical professionals in a care facility and family members who help at home, want to change soiled products quickly and easily without causing skin irritation or damage.

There are even more faces of incontinence, and they all have a story to tell. Men have different needs than women. Adults who experience light leakage have different needs than those who have moderate to heavy episodes. 

While many people believe adult incontinence is a disease or an unavoidable part of aging, it is often: 

• A symptom of an underlying medical condition
• Related to a physical problem, including natural aging of muscles 
• Brought on by a person’s lifestyle habits

It is believed that it takes 7 years on average for someone to make the decision to go see a doctor about his or her condition. This means there are hundreds of thousands of unrecognized cases of adult incontinence throughout the world right now. This number is slowly getting lower as the market seeks to reduce the stigma of incontinence. 

As acceptance and acknowledgment continue to rise, consumers are asking for more from their products. Now more than ever there is an increased demand for disposable hygiene manufacturers to create offerings that provide better absorption, thinner cores, a more satisfying fit, added comfort and greater discretion for the various types of adult users. 

With this growing market trend in mind, Bostik continues to actively research and develop new ways for disposable hygiene manufacturers to enhance their products and operations. Wherever possible, we look to help improve efficiency, affordability and adaptability with our smart adhesive solutions.