Patient Information about Gout: An International Review of Existing Educational Resources.

OBJECTIVE

Inadequate patient information about gout may contribute to poor disease outcomes. We reviewed existing educational resources for gout to identify strengths and weaknesses and compare resources cross-nationally.

METHODS

Content, readability, and dietary recommendations were reviewed using a sample of 30 resources (print and Web-based) from 6 countries.

RESULTS

More than half of the resources were written at a highly complex level. Some content areas were lacking coverage, including comorbidity risks, uric acid target levels, and continuing allopurinol during acute attacks.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest significant room for improvement in gout patient educational resources, particularly regarding self-management.