Adherence to treatment for polycystic ovarian syndrome: A systematic review

BACKGROUND: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most prevalent endocrine disorders of women of reproductive age. Treatment plans for this chronic condition frequently include long-term use of a combination of medication and lifestyle interventions. However, treatment outcomes are dependent on adherence to treatment regimens. This study aimed to systematically review the literature for reported adherence to treatments for PCOS. METHODS: A systematic search of Embase, Cochrane, PubMed, CINAHL, PsychINFO, SCOPUS, and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts from inception until January 2019 utilizing the terms PCOS, adherence, and patient compliance was conducted. A total of 179 possible articles were identified. RESULTS: Fourteen articles reporting adherence data were included in the review. Self-report was the most commonly reported method of measuring adherence. Adherence to lifestyle interventions, such as prescribed diets and physical activity, was reported in ten studies and adherence to medications was reported in seven studies, with some reporting both. CONCLUSIONS: Minimal data are available regarding factors associated with adherence in patients with PCOS. Diverse methods of adherence assessment are utilized. Future studies of PCOS treatments should effectively assess and report adherence data as it is essential to evaluating the effectiveness of PCOS treatments and is critically needed to guide clinician efforts to facilitate optimal outcomes for patients.