[The use and suitability of absorbent products for urinary incontinence in a primary health care district].

Objective: To calculate the use of absorbent products in patients with urinary incontinence in the Seville District Primary Health Care, and to compare the use over time, and to calculate the health costs and their variation during the period 2005-2009.

Method: A cross-sectional and descriptive observational study was conducted on the use of urinary incontinence absorbents in the Seville District Primary Health Care, from 2005 and 2009. Patients registered as using urinary incontinence absorbents (UIA) during that period were included as the study population.

Main Variables: number of absorbent packages/number of healthcare cards by patient age and by type of contribution, and cost of UIA/number of cards by patient age and by type of social security contribution.

Results: There was an increase of 0.71% in the prescription of absorbents by healthcare card, patient age and by type of contribution. When comparing the different Health Areas, there was an increase of 1.06% within the Virgen del Rocío Hospital Area and an increase of 1.28% within Virgen de Macarena Hospital Area. The health expense incurred in the use of UIA during these five years was 4,100,765 €, which is an increase of 17.8%.

Conclusions: There is a high increase in the use of UIA with time, causing an increase in the health costs. There was also a high frequency in the use of special beds. Therefore, it would be reasonable to train the prescribers to promote progressive and multidisciplinary treatment of UI.