Gender differences in illness perceptions and disease management in patients with gout, results from a questionnaire study in Western Sweden.

• Aims were to examine gender differences in patients with gout with regard to a) self-reported gout severity, b) illness perceptions (IP), c) impact on daily activities and Quality of Life (QoL), d) advice from healthcare professionals, e) having changed dietary- or alcohol habits.Adult patients with gout identified in primary and secondary care in Sweden between 2015 and 2017 (n=1589) were sent a questionnaire about demographics, gout disease severity, IP (using the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire, (B-IPQ)) and disease management. T-tests, Chi square tests, ANalysis Of VAriance (ANOVA) and linear regression models were used for gender comparisons.Eight hundred sixty-eight patients responded to the questionnaire. Women, n=177 (20%), experienced more severe gout symptoms (p=0.011), albeit similar frequencies of flares compared to men. Women experienced modest but significantly worse IP with regard to consequences, identity, concerns and emotional response (p<0.05) as well as daily activities such as sleeping (p<0.001) and walking (p=0.042) and QoL (p=0.004). Despite this and a higher frequency of obesity in women (38 vs 21%, P<0.001) and alcohol consumption in men (p<0.001), obese women had received significantly less advice regarding weight reduction (47 vs 65%, p=0.041) compared to obese men. On the other hand, women reported having acted on dietary advice to a larger degree.Despite only modestly worse gout severity and perception, women appear to have been given less information regarding self-management than men. These gender differences should be given attention and addressed in clinical care.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Reumatologi och inflammation (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Rheumatology and Autoimmunity (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Gender

Gout; Illness perception questionnaire

Patient perspectives

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)