Exploring the experiences of nurses in providing support with weight management to women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

Abstract

Background: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) affects 7% of women in the UK and is an endocrine disorder which is defined by having hyperandrogenism, ovulatory dysfunction, and polycystic ovarian morphologic features (McCartney et al 2016). Women affected by this condition show an increased prevalence of several comorbidities, including obesity, dyslipidaemia, hypertension, metabolic syndrome (MS), and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) in comparison with women without PCOS (Rojas et al 2014). Due to these increased risks, it is vital that women who have PCOS receive adequate advice and support from healthcare professionals when advising on weight management. Aim: The purpose of this research study will be to explore whether the advice and support women who have PCOS receive on weight management from healthcare professionals is sufficient and person centred in its approach. Methods: The following literature review will be a qualitative explorative study and the research design will be phenomenological. The data collection method will be semi-structured interviews with eight to ten nurses from a gynaecological clinic in Glasgow and Edinburgh. The inclusion criteria states that these nurses would need to have previous experience interacting with women who have PCOS and have a BMI >25. Data collected from the study will help to inform a person-centred approach with respect to weight management advice for these women.