Impact of counselling on knowledge of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): A prospective community study

Problem Considered Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a common hormonal disorder that affects women's reproductive health and overall well-being, yet often goes undiagnosed due to low awareness and delayed medical intervention. It leads to metabolic, cardiovascular, and emotional health risks, impacting quality of life. Counselling plays a key role in improving knowledge, debunking myths, and promoting adherence to treatment. This study seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of structured counselling in enhancing understanding of PCOS, especially in multi-cultural community settings. Methods A prospective study in Gujarat included 385 participants to assess PCOS knowledge. Documents such as Informed Consent Forms and Case Report Forms were prepared in Gujarati and English. Initially, baseline knowledge of PCOS was measured using a questionnaire. Participants were given one month of counselling with prepared materials, followed by a follow-up assessment using the same questionnaire to evaluate the improvement of the knowledge. Result The study involved 385 participants during the baseline knowledge assessment while only 360 during follow-up (25 excluded as they did not respond). The mean PCOS knowledge scores significantly improved from baseline to follow-up across all 18 questions, with percentage improvements ranging from approximately 10% to over 50%. Overall, knowledge scores improved by 37.04%, with females (43.55%) showing greater improvement than males (34.49%). The 12-21 age group had the highest knowledge increment (44.33%), and Gujarati-speaking participants (61.14%) had more improvement than English-speaking ones (22.75%). Results highlight counselling's positive impact on PCOS awareness, improving education and treatment adherence. Conclusion Providing counselling regarding topics like PCOS among the community is of utmost importance as it may help females with early diagnosis, prevention of further complications and better management. Our study had a positive impact on counselling regarding PCOS knowledge in the community.