Knowledge Level on the Association Between Body Mass Index (BMI), Menstrual Cycle and Lifestyle Patterns in Contributing the Development of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) Among Female University Students

Abstract

Introduction: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a heterogeneous endocrine disorder characterized by anovulation, hyperandrogenism, infertility and metabolic dysfunction, that affect ladies in their adolescent period until menopause, specifically at reproductive age. The objective of this study was to determine the knowledge level of PCOS and the association between BMI, menstrual cycle and lifestyle pattern in contributing the development of PCOS and its relationship with sociodemographic characteristics among female students at International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), Kuantan, Pahang. Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional study using convenience sampling method was conducted among 245 female undergraduate students of IIUM Kuantan Campus, from April to May of 2021. Data were collected using Google Forms platform and a quantitative questionnaire which was available in English Language and distributed to all female undergraduate students in the campus. The set of questionnaires were taken from a research paper by Thomas et al. (2018). Data analysis was done by using SPSS version 21.0. Results: The majority of the participants have above-average knowledge level regarding PCOS and its association with BMI, menstrual cycle and lifestyle pattern (58.0%). The mean score on knowledge on the association between BMI and development of PCOS significantly different in between kulliyyah and year of study, with Kulliyyah of Medicine and students from Year 5 are higher compared to other Kulliyyah and year of study, respectively. For the association between menstrual cycle and development of PCOS, the mean score on knowledge is differed significantly across year of study. The mean score on knowledge on the association between lifestyle pattern and development of PCOS differed significantly across kulliyyah with Kulliyyah of Allied Health Science are higher compared to other kulliyyah.Conclusion: Female undergraduate students have above-average knowledge regarding PCOS and its association with BMI, menstrual cycle, and lifestyle patterns.