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Julianne ran athletics at state level, but after giving birth she couldn’t run, jump, cough, or even sneeze without experiencing leakage. She eventually went on to have surgery to repair the injuries she sustained during childbirth. This is her story.
NAME: Julianne
FAMILY: Husband in the military and two young children. I have an au pair who helps to look after my youngest while I am at work.
OCCUPATION: Former military, now senior program management role for a major consultancy firm.
2025 Continence Health Australia National Survey
The total economic cost of incontinence in Australia is estimated to be $100.4 billion per year.1
7.2 million people living in Australia aged 15 and over are living with bladder or bowel incontinence.1 Females are twice more likely to experience incontinence than males (4.8 million compared to 2.4 million respectively).1
Consumer survey highlights the silent epidemic of incontinence in Australia
Media release Wednesday 30 July 2025
Over 7.2 million Australians are affected each year by incontinence impacting their daily lives, emotional wellbeing and social participation according to a nationwide survey, commissioned by Continence Health Australia.
Continence Health Australia announced the release of its latest survey on the health and social impact of incontinence across Australia, which revealed the following key findings:
Monday 16 June – Sunday 22 June 2025
Report states an estimated 2.4 million men and 4.8 million women living with some form of urinary or faecal incontinence
With one in four people in Australia experiencing some form of incontinence, the impact on personal wellbeing, social connection, and daily functioning is significant for a quarter of the population.
This Men’s Health Week (Mon 9–Sun 15 June), Continence Health Australia is calling on men in Australia to break the silence around bladder, bowel, and sexual health issues that affect many but are rarely discussed.
Incontinence affects 2.4 million men in Australia, yet many are unable to speak out and seek help.
Paddy Dewan
- Author Affiliations
A PO Box 152, Parkville, Vic 3052, Australia.
Correspondence to: [email protected]
Australian and New Zealand Continence Journal 31, CJ24045 https://doi.org/10.1071/CJ24045
Submitted: 12 August 2024 Accepted: 12 February 2025 Published: 14 April 2025
Welcome to the Autumn edition of Bridge magazine, our flagship publication about all things bladder and bowel health. In this edition, we are celebrating approximately three million at-home carers across Australia. Many of these carers are responsible for the complex role of providing bladder and bowel care. They are the silent backbone of our society, offering unwavering support to loved ones with immense dedication.
“Bedwetting once a week is clinically significant, the size of the accident doesn’t matter,” Dr Aniruddh Deshpande, Paediatric Urologist and Head of Surgery at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead tells Bridge.
“Small regular daytime accidents can impact children's mental health, especially older girls and non-caucasian children.”
Mandy recently lost her husband, George, who battled with complex medical problems stemming from rheumatoid arthritis.
After suffering for many years with what he thought were recurrent chest infections and pneumonia, George was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis after a work injury. Further tests with the specialist confirmed it was affecting his lungs with a secondary diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD).
Incontinence affects many children and adults with autism and/or intellectual disability for a range of different reasons. “The best advice I have for parents around toileting for children with autism and/or intellectual disability, is that independent toileting can be a longer process and taking breaks is normal, as it can be an exhausting task,” said Jessie Smith, school nurse at a specialist school.
Lena became a nurse continence specialist after meeting a patient who had suffered with incontinence for over a decade without telling anyone.
Taking regular breaks from your caring duties is important to avoid burnout and maintain your own health and wellbeing. There are services that can help.
Every year, Continence Health Australia calls for nominations for the Carer of the Year Award, which publicly acknowledges the vital role that unpaid carers play in supporting the health and wellbeing of so many in our community.
We talked to Dr Tanya Osicka, Health Psychologist at Tanya Osicka Psychology, about how carers can look after themselves and avoid burnout.
Dear diary… A day in the life of someone experiencing incontinence
BIO: Since giving birth to her four children, Maria has experienced daily urinary leak
Q: When/how did you become involved with the Great Dunny Hunt?
A: I became involved in the Great Dunny Hunt
Living with bladder or bowel problems that cause incontinence can come at a huge cost. It can impact all areas of your life, from work, to spending time with family and friends and taking part in your favourite activities. It can affect your confidence and lead to social isolation, depression and anxiety.
As a Continence Nurse Consultant in a Perth hospital, Kerry Murphy’s job is educating parents and teaching children what is not normal when it comes to bladder and bowel symptoms. “A lot of issues are preventable,” says Kerry. “But your children might not tell you about their toilet problems. They might even deny them.
If you are concerned about your child’s toilet habits and think they may be suffering from constipation, speak to your GP to ensure there are no underlying health conditions that could be causing it. Once medical conditions are ruled out, there are four main areas to focus on.