PURPOSE: We quantified and described the economic burden of overactive bladder 
and stress urinary incontinence in Korea. We calculated direct costs by 
identifying public and private data sources that contain population-based data 
on resource utilization by patients with stress urinary incontinence and 
overactive bladder.
METHODS: For estimating indirect costs (productivity loss), the human capital 
approach was applied. Data were collected from several institutes, including the 
Health Insurance Review Agency.
RESULTS: The estimated total economic cost in treating overactive bladder was 
117 billion Korean Won (KRW, the currency of South Koea) in 2006 and 145 billion 
KRW in 2007. The estimated total cost in treating stress urinary incontinence 
was 122 billion KRW in 2006 and 59 billion KRW in 2007.
CONCLUSIONS: By quantifying the total economic costs of overactive bladder and 
stress urinary incontinence, this study provides an important perspective in 
Korea. Because the average age of the Korean population is rapidly increasing, 
this study provides important information on the direct and indirect costs of 
overactive bladder and stress urinary incontinence for an aging society.