Oh My Gout! is a pioneering health communications campaign designed to increase awareness of gout in men aged 40-60 in Singapore.
Gout is the most common form of inflammatory arthritis in men over 40. It is an issue that is growing increasingly prevalent worldwide in recent years, and gout is particularly common in Singapore affecting an estimated 1 in 25 Singaporeans. Gout is often underestimated as a minor affliction, but is actually a cause for concern as a significant public health problem. Gout is an incurable, chronic condition which will recur if not managed well. Literature also emphasises the urgency to address this issue as it is linked to potentially fatal cardiovascular and renal diseases in the long run.
Despite its prevalence, there was no prior local gout campaigns, thus a lack of gout-related health information. Moreover, many online sources on gout were found to be of dubious authenticity, confusing the public further. The biggest gap in gout management is the lack of public awareness. Therefore, the campaign was formulated to fill this necessary gap in the gout landscape.
How much do you know about gout? Watch the video to find out.
The Highlights
Created attractive videos to educate viewers.
The team worked hard to generate multiple online videos to share with their audience, posted on their social platforms. Due to limited budget, the team produced and edited the videos internally. They created a vast variety of videos to suit the different preferences of their target audiences. The videos involved street interviews, edutainment series and personal anecdotes from patients with gout.
Positive feedback from target audience.
The videos performed very well and the team received a lot of positive online and offline feedback, on their efforts to bring more attention to gout. Many members of the public have also told them in person how the campaign was educational and informative, with some even shared how prior to the campaign, they were struggling to find comprehensive information online to learn more about gout.
In addition, collaborating partners were also impressed with the team’s work and expressed interest in obtaining their collaterals to continue spreading awareness about gout in Singapore.
The Memories
Reflection #1 – The Challenges
Lack of local literature.
Due to a lack of local literature about gout in Singapore, the team had to refer to secondary sources from other Asian studies, such as Taiwan. Moreover, the latest local study was dated back to 2012. There were also difficulties in obtaining a statistic of the actual population of gout sufferers in Singapore due to the absence of a national gout registry for sufferers. Hence, the campaign’s literature review reflected relatively outdated statistics.
The team tried their best to overcome this challenge by working closely with their collaborating partner NUH, to ensure the accuracy of the information in the campaign.
Developing COVID-19 situation in Singapore.
Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the team had to cancel all their offline events and roving educational booths. This was unfortunate as the team’s final roadshow was planned to be held at a sponsored venue of Jurong Point, since Jurong West has the highest proportion of males aged 40 – 60 years old.
In order to mitigate this situation, the team adapted quickly and converted their campaign to a fully digital one.
Reflection #2 – The Takeaways
Similar campaigns in the future to expand the age range of target audience.
It is recommended for future campaigns on gout, to explore targeting younger men, rather than focusing on just 40 to 60-year-old men. This discovery was multi-pronged. In recent news, there has been media coverage implying that gout patients were getting younger. During interactions with NUH rheumatologists and interactions with the public, the team also realised that gout is increasingly prevalent among men in their 20s and 30s.
The campaign had a lack of funding.
The team recognised that their reach was narrowed with the limited resources and budget they had. With more traction and awareness given to gout, it would be great if large organisations like Health Promotion Board picked up the campaign and raise this issue to the attention of the general population.
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