Can Smartphone Notifications Help with Gout Management? A Feasibility Study

Objective This feasibility study aimed to assess the acceptability of utilizing smartphone notifications to modify gout patients' medication beliefs. We evaluated feasibility and acceptability of the smartphone application using the Technology Acceptance Model. We explored adherence rate differences and outcomes between the intervention and control groups. Methods 52 gout patients prescribed allopurinol were randomly assigned to either active control (n = 24) or intervention group (n = 28). Over 3 months, both groups used a study application on their smartphones. The active control group received notifications about general health advice, while the intervention group received adherence-targeted notifications. The feasibility and acceptability of the smartphone application was measured through semi-structured interviews. Adherence rate was assessed through serum urate levels and missed doses at three time points: baseline, 3 months (post-intervention), and 6 months (follow-up). Results The smartphone application demonstrated high feasibility with strong participant retention and compliance. The participants expressed high levels of satisfaction with the application's user-friendliness and content, highlighting its acceptability. Both groups showed a significant reduction in missed doses over time ( P < 0.01), but no significant differences in serum urate levels were found between the groups. Patients who received adherence-targeted notifications reported finding it more convenient to take allopurinol and expressed higher overall treatment satisfaction throughout the study. Conclusion Adherence-targeted notifications have the potential to be an effective and scalable approach to supporting medication adherence in gout patients. Further research is needed with larger samples to refine the components of the intervention and explore its optimal implementation.