Awareness of Gout and Hyperuricemia in a Sample of the Adult Population in Iraq

Abstract

Background: Gout is the most common type of inflammatory arthritis in men and postmenopausalwomen. The incidence and prevalence of hyperuricemia and gout were increased all over the worldeven among developed countries.Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Rheumatology Unit ofBaghdad Teaching Hospital in Medical City, Baghdad, Iraq from October 2020 to April 2021. Atotal of 247 subjects were included in the study. Data were collected using a pre-constructed datacollection sheet by face-to-face individual interviews. The sheet includes demographic characteristics, gout-related questions regarding the etiology, suspected predisposing agents, complications,diagnostic methods, food-related, clinical manifestations among studied cases, and attitudes of thegout patients among the study sample.Results: Of 247 subjects, there were 67.2% (n = 166) males, 27.9 (n = 69) from the age group40-49 years, 36.4% (n = 90) from Baghdad city, 25.5% (n = 63) university graduates, 19.9% withgood income, 70.5 (174) employed, 221 (89.5%) married, 85% (n = 210) non-smokers, and 8.9%(n = 22) with family history of gout. Overall, 59 (23.9%) of the participants had a high level ofawareness whereas low awareness levels accounted for 41.3% (n = 102). The awareness level showeda statistically significant association with education level, occupation, economic status, smokinghabit, family history of gout, and patients with gout (P-value < 0.05).Conclusion: There was a high proportion (41.3%) of the participants with a low level of awarenessabout gout and hyperuricemia. The awareness level among the participants was related to theeducation level, occupation, economic status, smoking habit, family history of gout, and patientswith gout.