Psychological Effect of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome on Health Related Quality of Life among Young Women: Moderating Role of Proactive Coping Strategies

Abstract

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOs) in young women is a major hormonal syndrome that not only effects their quality of life (QoL) but overall mental wellbeing is also effected. Worldwide, prevalence rate of PCOs among women is reported to be more than 70% which is increasing day by day. Therefore, the main objective of our study was to examine the effect of PCOs on HR-QoL among young women and to explore the moderating role of proactive coping strategies between PCOs and Health Related Quality of life. For this purpose, 200 outdoor diagnosed patients of PCOs were selected by using purposive sampling techniques, from different hospitals in Islamabad. They were requested to complete three sets of questionnaires, namely, PCOs symptom questionnaire, WHOQoL- BREF, for measuring Health Related Quality of Life and Proactive Coping Inventory. Percentage and Regression analyses was performed to assess effect of PCOs on health related quality of life and the moderating role of proactive coping strategies. Findings revealed that the mean age range of participants as 22.04.  Majority of them have done matriculation (60%, n= 121) and were employed (79%, n=159). Following Regression Analysis, results showed that PCOs had a significant negative impact upon HR-QoL (p<.05). Findings also revealed that high score on PCOs symptom checklist negatively affects the Health Related Quality of Life (?= .030, p>.05). Furthermore, proactive coping strategies and reflective coping strategies had insignificant role in PCOs as p<.05 whereas Strategic Planning and Preventive Coping appeared to have a significant moderating role between PCOs and Health Related Quality of Life (p>.05). Overall, The presence of PCOs adversely impacts the HR-QoL of young adults. It predominantly affects psychological and social well-being rather than bodily working.