Understanding gout better, we need you!
Gout is on the rise, with global cases increasing significantly over the past few decades. Despite these numbers, managing gout effectively remains a challenge. Less than 40% of patients in the UK receive recommended long-term medication for gout1, such as allopurinol or febuxostat, and patients continue to suffer recurrent flares of intense pain needlessly.
Why the gap?
Many patients aren’t fully informed about gout and its management when they are first diagnosed, leading to hesitation in starting long-term therapy. Concerns about side effects and ongoing management also can play a role in people being unsure about starting and continuing this long-term treatment.
There is high potential for improvement.
Innovative self-management strategies, including mobile apps and eHealth tools, are showing promise. These tools can help patients better understand their condition and stick to their treatment plans. Recent results from a collaborative University of Edinburgh and NHS Lothian study looking at a smartphone app (GoutSMART) even showed improvements in health outcomes (see more info here).
What now?
We are currently recruiting for a study to further understand what people think about gout and its management, including these new strategies. We want to interview people with lived experience of gout to explore their perceptions and experiences of this topic.
Furthermore, definitions of remission for gout have been made by doctors, but little is known from patients about what they think about gout remission. We would like to explore what people with gout think of remission for their condition, and whether this aligns with the criteria made by doctors. Understanding perspectives from patients is crucial for personalising and optimising the management of gout.
Take Part
We are looking for adults with gout to take part in a 1-to-1 recorded interview with one of our team. We are looking to understand Patient Expectations and Experiences of Current and Novel Management of Gout
To find out more about the study, download the information sheet: Information Sheet
Please click here to check your eligibility to join the study.
- Kuo, C.-F., Grainge, M.J., Mallen, C., Zhang, W. and Doherty, M. (2014). Rising burden of gout in the UK but continuing suboptimal management: a nationwide population study. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, [online] 74(4), pp.661–667. doi:https://doi.org/10.1136/annrheumdis-2013-204463.
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