Awareness of polycystic ovary syndrome: A university students’ perspective

BACKGROUND: Polycystic ovary syndrome is the most common endocrine disorder in women of reproductive age. Women with this syndrome may have infrequent menstrual periods or amenorrhea and excess androgen levels. The ovaries develop numerous small follicles and fail to ovulate on a regular basis, with subsequent subfertility in those women that wish to conceive. The etiology of polycystic ovary syndrome is unclear. Early diagnosis and treatment may reduce the risk of long-term complications such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease. OBJECTIVES: To assess the knowledge and attitude of university students towards polycystic ovary syndrome at two universities in the north of Jordan. METHOD: ology: This is a cross-sectional online survey that polled female students at two universities in the north of Jordan. The main outcome measures included average polycystic ovary syndrome awareness score, predictors of high awareness scores, and sources of information. RESULTS: Formal diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome was reported by 29.9% of the 1182 students, the average polycystic ovary syndrome awareness score was M = 11.59 (SD = 4.95). Being a 6th and 5th year college student were the strongest independent predictors for recognizing the term polycystic ovary syndrome, in addition to be a student in the majors of veterinary medicine, nursing, pharmacy, or dentistry. Age was a significant predictor of polycystic ovary syndrome awareness score. Being investigated for, or being diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome were significant predictors of higher scores. Body mass index was a weak predictor of polycystic ovary syndrome awareness. Participants who reported to have hirsutism, acanthosis nigricans, or acne scored significantly higher than others. Healthcare professionals were the most common source of information reported by participants. Lectures were most effective in increasing awareness score but were poorly utilized outside the curriculum. CONCLUSION: Although students in this study demonstrated a satisfactory level of polycystic ovary syndrome awareness and were more likely to seek information from healthcare professionals, this level of awareness should spread-out to other segments of the population.