Social construction of biopsychosocial and medical experiences of women with polycystic ovary syndrome
Abstract
Aim: To explore the perceived biopsychosocial and medical experiences of women with polycystic ovary syndrome, as presented in stories written by women on a social support website. Design: Qualitative descriptive using low inference content analysis, guided by the social construction of illness theoretical framework. Methods: In July 2018, 95 of 379 website stories were randomly selected. The stories were analysed, ending in September 2018. Results: Three major themes aligning with framework constructs were identified: Biopsychosocial struggles and management: “I can't even look in the mirror without wanting to cry,” Sociocultural navigation: “I feel all alone and no one understands me.” and Healthcare encounters: “I don't feel like I’m getting the help I need”. These themes revealed that Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has biological and experiential components, which exist independently of each other and hold social and cultural meanings. Conclusion: Care for women with PCOS should be multidisciplinary, multidimensional, and multi‐level to ameliorate biopsychosocial issues. Provider (physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants) education about PCOS is necessary to enhance timely diagnosis and implement individualized treatment strategies. Non‐advanced practice nurses are in a unique position to have an impact on patient satisfaction and clinical outcomes by providing and reinforcing patient education, coordinating management processes, counselling via telephone or in‐person appointments and facilitating referrals to ancillary providers. Evidence‐based and accessible psychosocial supports and interventions will lead to improved self‐esteem and effective coping skills, and reduced stigma‐related stress. Lastly, policy changes are warranted to address access to care, health insurance inequities and inadequate funding for PCOS‐related research. Impact: Increased awareness of PCOS and its biopsychosocial aspects will aid providers with timely diagnosis and meaningful treatment plans. Women with PCOS will gain acknowledgment, acceptance, and insight towards health care and self‐management.
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Eight included studies in the scoping review related to PCOS content on websites.
“Eight included studies related to PCOS content on websites [46,47,90,91,92,93,94,95] (Supplementary File S3).”
From Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and the Internet of Things: A Scoping Review (2024) · cites this paper as [92]
One website study looked at a specific PCOS-related website.
“The majority (n = 5) involved analysis of content from search engine results [46,47,91,94,95], while one each looked at content in teen and women’s digital magazines [93], French language internet forums [90], and a specific PCOS-related website [92].”
From Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and the Internet of Things: A Scoping Review (2024) · cites this paper as [92]
A study of 95 randomly selected stories posted by users of a PCOS support website in the USA reported significant bio-psychological and socio-cultural aspects of PCOS impact daily lives and medical experiences, affecting self-image, coping efficacy, and health outcomes.
“A study looking at 95 randomly selected stories posted by users of a PCOS support website in the USA reported on how significant bio-psychological and socio-cultural aspects of PCOS impact their daily lives and medical experiences, affecting their self-image, coping efficacy, and health outcomes [92].”
From Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and the Internet of Things: A Scoping Review (2024) · cites this paper as [92]
The eight website studies originated from France, USA, Australia, Croatia, Greece, and the UK, with specified publication years.
“Regarding publication date and country of origin, two studies published in 2020 were from France [90] and USA [92], two in 2018 from Australia [46,47], one in 2016 from the USA [93], one in 2023 from Croatia [91], one in 2012 from Greece [94], and another in 2010 from the UK [95].”
From Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and the Internet of Things: A Scoping Review (2024) · cites this paper as [92]
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- Authors
- Wright, P. J., Dawson, R. M., & Corbett, C. F.
- Affiliations
- University of South Carolina (US)
- Corresponding author
- Wright, Pamela J.
- Venue
- Journal of Advanced Nursing
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2020-04-17
- Volume
- 76
- Issue
- 7
- Pages
- 1728-1736
- ISSN
- 0309-2402 (ISSN-L)
- 1365-2648
- OpenAlex
- W3013984923
- Semantic Scholar
- d90525f22649500d4df2ecb95a40cce08db9babe
- Cited by
- 53
- References
- 38
- Citations by year
- 2026: 9 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 2
- FWCI
- 4.63
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Advanced Nursing (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Scholar Commons (University of South Carolina) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (K23HL133596)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Ovarian function and disorders
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Reproductive Health and Technologies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Endometriosis Research and Treatment
- Keywords
- polycystic ovary syndrome, biopsychosocial model, social construction of illness, women's experiences, social support, healthcare encounters, stigma, self-management, multidisciplinary care, psychosocial support, health care access
- MeSH terms
- Delivery of Health Care, Female, Humans, Patient Care Planning, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, Self Concept, Social Support
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