Unheard, Misunderstood & Suffering: The experiences of South Asian women living with PCOS in the UK

Kholood T Munir & Hania Arain - Medical Students at King's College London

01. Introduction

Previous literature suggests PCOS affects South Asian Women more adversely than Caucasian Women, [1] however there is very little research exploring and understanding the journeys, ideas and sociocultural contexts that affect South Asian women’s experiences living with and how they manage PCOS.

02. Objective

This ethnographic study aimed to explore the ideas, sociocultural contexts and journeys of South Asian women living with PCOS in the UK and understand the factors that could be contributing to their adverse outcomes.

03. Methodology

A qualitative ethnographic study was conducted of four purposively sampled participants:

Figure 1: Infographic depicting the methodology used to conduct the study

04. Results & Findings

The data analysis identified three key themes that were impacting South Asian women's experiences with PCOS:

Figure 2: Infographic illustrating research findings of ethnographic study exploring experiences of South Asian women living with PCOS in the UK

05. Recommendations

Based on research findings, the following measures could help improve the lives of South Asian women with PCOS:

Figure 3: Infographic depicting key recommendations based on research findings.

06. Conclusion

The findings of this study are incredibly important. They bridge the gap in existing research and shed light on the specific challenges and barriers South Asian women in the UK are facing which could ultimately be contributing to adverse outcomes for them. Further, the misconceptions regarding women’s health and PCOS as revealed in this study evokes the question of how many women in the community could be experiencing distressing symptoms but not seeking help.

Currently, according to NICE guidelines, lifestyle changes and the contraceptive pill are amongst the first-line management options offered to patients with PCOS. However, the findings in this study reveal that South Asian women are facing sociocultural barriers adhering and complying to both. The inability of healthcare professionals in understanding these barriers and in helping them to overcome them is further failing patients.

Therefore. this study shows the crucial need for steps to be taken to improve provision of care for South Asian Women with PCOS and highlights that with the correct support and interventions there is great potential for their quality of life to be improved.