“I think protective underwear is what we're seeing grow
more than anything. The reason for that is because it's discreet.
It's like underwear; it's not like a big diaper. People are looking
for more discreet options, things that are less bulky, things that
you can't really see, that they can carry around in a
purse.”
— Kendra Nicholson, product manager, Covidien
According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality:
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13 million Americans are incontinent; 11 million are women.
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1 in 4 women ages 30-59 have experienced an episode of urinary incontience.
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50 percent or more of the elderly persons living at home or in long-term care facilities are incontinent.
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$16.4 billion is spent every year on incontinence-related care: $11.2 billion for community-based programs and at home, and $5.2 billion in long-term care facilities.
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$1.1 billion is spent every year on disposable products for adults.