Self-reported prevalence of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome in a population sample

Abstract

PROBLEM STATEMENT Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), the most common endocrine disorder in women, generates numerous health problems. PCOS affects 5-18% of women of reproductive age in Australia. Another 70% of women with PCOS remain undiagnosed. This may be related to different severities of the presentation of the phenotype of PCOS, which may mean these women do not seek medical help. PCOS has profound medical implications across the lifespan including reproductive, metabolic and psychological implications. Women with PCOS need information and guidance about this to enable them to take control of their own health, but these women need to be identified in the population so they can benefit from prevention and treatment programs. It has been almost 10 years since the last prevalence data was obtained regarding PCOS in Australia. These data were collected via mailed questionnaires, from the Australian Longitudinal Women’s Health Study (ALWHS), and approximately 1700 South Australian women were included. This study found a prevalence of 5.8%, however this is a likely an underestimate, with a self-reported population likely to have more severe symptoms, and therefore possibly more severe reproductive, metabolic and psychological health. There is a continued need for accurate population data and use of more precise estimates of other health conditions associated with PCOS. METHODS The 2015 South Australia Health Omnibus Survey (HOS)is an annual, representative population survey. It uses a clustered, self-weighting, systematic, multistage area sample of metropolitan and country areas with populations of more than 1000 and interviews are conducted face-to-face with those aged fifteen years or over. The nature of an omnibus survey means that a number of questions regarding different health topics are included from different users. Over 3000 respondents are interviewed with a response rate of 60%; this means approximately 1500 women are surveyed. Using HOS as a data collection vehicle provides a wider age group than previous Australian studies. There have been few recent whole of population studies that identify a subset of women with PCOS, enabling an epidemiological comparison of PCOS attributes with the rest of the population. The 2015 HOS contained a question on self-report PCOS prevalence. PRELIMINARY RESULTS The self-reported prevalence of women with PCOS was found in this sample to be 5%. PCOS was assessed by cardiometabolic risk factors, body mass index, nutrition and dieting, pregnancies, physical activity, mental health, alcohol consumption, smoking, quality of life and demographic factors were assessed in women with and without self-reported PCOS to find the features that are associated with PCOS. Although many problems associated with PCOS are unique to the condition, there are factors affecting QoL which women with PCOS may share with those experiencing other chronic conditions. We can also identify what is unique about PCOS compared with other chronic conditions. CONCLUSION The self-reported prevalence of PCOS in this population compares with previous prevalence rates in this population found, however, we consider this to be an underestimate. Further research using the HOS will determine PCOS prevalence in the population reflecting the Rotterdam Criteria from 2003 which includes self-report presence of 2 of the 3 of hyperandrogenism, menstrual dysfunction, or polycystic ovaries on ultrasound, enabling a more accurate prevalence to be obtained. [Provided by author]