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. 2015 Aug 31;2(2):2055102915603051.
doi: 10.1177/2055102915603051. eCollection 2015 Jul.

'Everything's from the inside out with PCOS': Exploring women's experiences of living with polycystic ovary syndrome and co-morbidities through Skype™ interviews

Sophie Williams  1 , David Sheffield  1 , Rebecca C Knibb  2
Affiliations

'Everything's from the inside out with PCOS': Exploring women's experiences of living with polycystic ovary syndrome and co-morbidities through Skype™ interviews

Sophie Williams et al. Health Psychol Open. .

Abstract

Polycystic ovary syndrome is an endocrine disorder affecting 1 in 10 women. Women with polycystic ovary syndrome can experience co-morbidities, including depressive symptoms. This research explores the experience of living with polycystic ovary syndrome and co-morbidities. Totally, 10 participants with polycystic ovary syndrome took part in Skype™ interviews and analysed using thematic analysis. Four themes emerged from the data: change (to life plans and changing nature of condition); support (healthcare professionals, education and relationships); co-morbidities (living with other conditions and depression, self-harm and suicidal ideation) and identity (feminine identity and us and them). The findings highlight the need for screening of women with polycystic ovary syndrome for depressive disorders.

Keywords: Skype™; anxiety; depression; polycystic ovary syndrome.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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