The patient’s perspective of gout

Abstract

This chapter reviews the current literature on patient’s perceptions in reference to gout etiology and management. Lack of knowledge about disease stages, related comorbidities, specific treatment for each state of gout, common side effects of medications and long-term consequences of inadequate care has been demonstrated among patients with gout. These knowledge deficits and the lack of patient self-management training have been associated with poor adherence to recommended therapies, thus leading to recurrent suboptimal care of gout; the most common inflammatory joint disease and the only one for which there is potentially curative therapy. This chapter examines the importance of the patient’s knowledge, cultural beliefs and management preferences of the disease in general, as well as for each specific stage. Recommendations have also been provided to physicians in order to identify concrete ways to improve patient care in terms of patient education and self-management training in an effort to reinforce successful strategies and behaviors towards controlling the condition.