Joint Response to Call for Evidence on a Comprehensive Approach to Mental Health: Incontinence and Mental Health
This Position Paper, jointly submitted by the European Association of Urology, the World Federation for Incontinence and Pelvic Problems, the International Continence Society, and Cancer Patients Europe (via the EAU Patient Advocacy Group), responds to the European Commission’s consultation on developing a Mental Health Strategy for Europe. The document highlights the strong bi-directional relationship between urinary incontinence and mental health conditions including depression and anxiety, particularly relevant for cancer patients experiencing treatment-related incontinence. The signatories issue two key recommendations: inclusion of a specific workstream on mental health and related co-morbidities including incontinence, and establishment of a separate workstream on translational clinical research to understand the “bladder-brain-axis” and underlying pathophysiological pathways.