Knowledge, attitude, and practice toward weight reduction among polycystic ovary syndrome women at Taif city

Objective: The aim of this study is to identify the knowledge, attitude, and practices related to weight reduction among women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) of reproductive age group. Materials and Methods: The descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from August 2017 to July 2018 in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, King Abdul Aziz Specialists Hospital, Taif, Saudi Arabia. One hundred participants were recruited from the outpatient clinic having satisfied the eligibility criteria through nonprobability consecutive sampling. Through closed-ended questions, participants were inquired about sociodemographic conditions, marriage, presenting complaints, knowledge, awareness of symptoms, and attitude and practices of weight reduction related to PCOS. The study is approved by the Ethical Review Committee of Taif University. Written informed consent was obtained from all the participants prior to enrollment in this research. The data were analyzed using Computer program SPSS Version 22 for Microsoft Window (Statistical Package for Social Science; SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). Results: A total of 100 study participants completed the pro forma with the mean age as 31.29 years. Majority (89%) had heard about the ovarian cyst before, with around 34% had received knowledge through health education. Moreover, 81% were aware about the problems of the disease, with around 69% reported delay of pregnancy and 31% informed menstrual problems as problems of PCOS. Importantly, 63% were aware about the methods of treatment, with treatment options as weight reduction (44.44%). Two-third (66%) of the study participants believed that weight reduction is an effective treatment. Among those, 21 (31.8%) believed improving ovulation, 2 (3.04%) improving psychological condition and both (60.61%) were improved by weight reduction. Conclusion: The current level of awareness among Saudi women with PCOS about the beneficial effects of weight reduction as the first line of therapy was poor.