GERMANY - GESELLSCAFT FUR INKONTINENZHILFE e.V. (GIH)

Our activities continue as in previous years. We now have 2,000 members and 40 self help groups. A new book has been produced for doctors.

Since it was founded in 1987, the GIH (Gesellschaft für lnkontinenzhilfe) has become a highly respected "lobbyist" for people with incontinence. The society's efforts to achieve its objectives have intensified especially over the last two years and are now showing results. There is no doubt that, in Germany, awareness of incontinence has grown within the population, and professionals like doctors, nursing staff, physiotherapists and pharmacists have become actively involved in the field of incontinence - and so has manufacturing industry by providing products for incontinence care.

However, incontinence is still a highly unpleasant disability, and social discrimination against incontinent people is far from being a thing of the past. Moreover, due to the tighter budget of the health care system the high costs of care that incontinence generates are being discussed with increasing vociferousness. As a result, there are still some substantial challenges to be met by the GIH.

Christa Thiel, Director