Bill > SJR60

Introduced Session

This resolution designates the second week of November of each year as "Urinary Incontinence Awareness Week" in New Jersey. More than 26 million people live with urinary incontinence in the United States. Urinary incontinence is the loss of bladder control, or being unable to control urination. It is a common condition and can range from being a minor problem to something that greatly affects daily life. The following persons are at high risk of being diagnosed with urinary incontinence: women who have experienced pregnancy, childbirth, or menopause; the elderly; men with prostate problems; persons with certain health problems, such as diabetes, obesity, or long-lasting constipation; smokers; and persons with birth defects affecting the structure of the urinary tract. Urinary incontinence has a multitude of treatments, ranging from medical to non-medical, preventative to protective, and invasive to non-invasive. Contrary to common myth, urinary incontinence is worsened by limiting fluid intake. Low fluid intake causes bladder irritation, further complicating issues. Furthermore, lowering fluid intake reduces the overall capacity of the bladder, which lessens the ability of the bladder to retain fluid. Though urinary incontinence is not life threatening, it does threaten a person's social and working lives and has a severe adverse effect on quality of life. Individuals afflicted with urinary incontinence often find their life dictated by their accidents, fearing embarrassment in front of friends and co-workers. The annual cost of adult urinary incontinence products in the United States currently exceeds $1 billion and that number is expected to grow as the general population ages. Many senior citizens are on fixed incomes and suffer great hardship because they must spend significant amounts of their incomes on urinary incontinence products. An overriding concern of senior citizens is finding ways to continue living in their own homes as long as possible and urinary incontinence is a leading cause of institutionalization of the elderly.

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Angela Mcknight (D)*, 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee (on 01/09/2024)

Official Document