Prevalence of Urinary Incontinence, Pelvic Organ Prolapse and Anal Incontinence in Women

Typically defined, burden of illness involves the determination of levels of mortality and morbidity. Urogynecologic and related disorders rarely pose a life-threatening illness. However, they often result in significant morbidities. The relevant morbidities have been characterized by Fletcher et al. as the five D’s [1]. These are disease (frequency), discomfort, disability, dissatisfaction and destitution (the financial cost of illness). Measures of morbidity must therefore include the full range of manifestations of disease that would be considered important.