Health literacy needs in weight management of women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Abstract

Issue addressed Lifestyle modification plays a key role in weight management and chronic disease prevention in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Women with PCOS experience challenges in adopting and maintaining healthy lifestyle behaviours, which may be related to health literacy. The aims of this study were to explore the health literacy needs of women with PCOS in lifestyle and weight management to inform research and practice. Methods Ten women with PCOS participated in focus groups and semi‐structured telephone interviews on lifestyle and weight management in PCOS. Results For functional health literacy, women with PCOS are highly motivated for lifestyle and weight management due to the long‐term consequences of PCOS. For interactive health literacy, barriers included delayed diagnosis and poor communication. Women with PCOS were resourceful in accessing a wide range of weight management services but some experience barriers such as costs or the feelings of embarrassment associated with accessing relevant services. For critical health literacy, no facilitators and barriers could be identified for the domain of participation in making decisions for health. Conclusions Women with PCOS experience facilitators and barriers in functional and interactive health literacy in lifestyle and weight management. So what? Future interventions should seek to further understand and address these gaps in health literacy by increasing weight management skills through behaviour change techniques, improving health professional‐patient communication through tools such as question prompt lists, enhancing peer support by increasing distributed health literacy in PCOS support groups and by providing opportunities for co‐design of interventions.