Dermal safety evaluation: Use of disposable diaper products in the elderly

Abstract

Disposable diapers for adults are widely used in many parts of the developed world, to safely and effectively manage urinary and fecal incontinence. Their usage is relatively uncommon in the developing world, although adult diapers are manufactured and exported from and used in India and China, to a limited extent. It is estimated that 90-95% of adult incontinent diapers that are used in developed nations are of the disposable kind. These products are in direct contact with the skin of the individual when worn, and given that adult diapers are changed three times a day on average, an incontinent adult may be exposed to approximately a thousand disposable diapers per year. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2010.