OBJECTIVES

: Paucity of knowledge, practice and the negative lifestyle attitude towards polycystic ovarian syndrome can affect compliance to treatment modality. The present study was undertaken to explore knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) in patients with PCOS.

METHODS

: This hospital based interventional study was carried out for a period of 6 months. A total of 83 subjects of reproductive age group diagnosed with PCOS were recruited from the out-patient department of Endocrinology. KAP of the subjects was assessed using a 21 item self-structured questionnaire with Cronbach’s alpha score of 0.829. KAP of the Subjects were assessed on a three-point Likert scale from low (1) to high (3). Post assessment, education regarding the disease, the importance of lifestyle management and treatment was provided by direct conversation and through distribution of patient information leaflets (PILs). A 3 month gap was provided after which questionnaire was readministerd to analyse the response shift of their understanding from pre to post educational program. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t test using SPSS version 20.

RESULTS

: The mean age of participants was 25.54±5.18 years of which a majority belonged to 21-30 age group (76%). The pre test mean scores for KAP was 7.31±3.04, 6.26±2.19 and 6.45±2.74 (p<0.001) while post test mean scores were 9.15±2.5, 7.42±2.33 and 7.93±2.60 (p<0.001) respectively. Statistically significant difference was found between pre and post test (p<0.001) regarding KAP scores of PCOS. The study revealed that there were improvements in KAP after the educational interventional program.

CONCLUSIONS

: Promotion of healthy lifestyles, the need for regular exercise and increased awareness programs on PCOS is the need of the hour to enable a holistic solution to this problem. The present study shows that clinical pharmacist can play a significant role in patient education and in improving patient care of such lifestyle diseases.