1College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham; 2Barts Health NHS Trust, London; 3The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, Dudley; 4King Edward VI High School for Girls, Birmingham; 5Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, DD1 9SY; 6Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham; 7CEO, PCOS Vitality; 8Warwick Medical School, Coventry; 9Birmingham City Council, Birmingham; 10Department of Endocrinology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham; 11Birmingham Womens Hospital, Birmingham Womens and Childrens NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham
Aim: We evaluated the emotional wellbeing and lifestyle advice received by people with PCOS in comparison to National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and international guidelines. Methods: Patients attending fertility clinics at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham between October 2020-May 2021 and in India between March 2021-May 2021 were invited to complete surveys before and after attending clinic. Pre-clinic survey had questions on demographics, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS; score 8-10 borderline; score ≥11 cases of anxiety and depression, respectively), Body Image Concern Inventory (BICI; score ≥72 suggestive of body dysmorphic disorder, BDD), Beliefs About Obese Persons Scale (BAOP; higher score suggestive of weight bias), and Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI; higher score suggestive of psychosexual dysfunction). Post-clinic survey included questions to understand patient experience and lifestyle recommendations participants received in clinic. Results: 56 patients completed pre-clinic survey (33.9%:White British). The prevalence of anxiety and depression was 50% and 10.7%, respectively (HADS anxiety median 10.5(interquartile range 7-12.75); depression 5.5(3-8.75)). 30.4% suffered from BDD. Participants had higher scores for BAOP 30(24.5-36) and FSFI 2(5-26). 38 completed post-clinic survey (26.3%:White British). All attendees reported positive experience with 76.3% reporting very good. 97.4% felt they were well included in their management. 71.1% reported receiving lifestyle advice during clinic; 52.6% and 50% were advised about healthy eating and regular physical activity. 26.3%, 31.6% and 36.8% were screened for anxiety, depression and body image concerns respectively. 23.7% of patients attending the PCOS clinics did not feel that ethnicity played a role in predisposing cardiometabolic complications. Conclusion: A high prevalence of emotional illbeing suggests a need to improve our screening and management of this in PCOS.