The benefits of a multidisciplinary approach in the treatment of young women with polycystic ovary syndrome — combining medicine and psychology

Introduction

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common endocrinological conditions in adolescent girls and many of its symptoms (e.g. oligomenorrhea, hyperandrogenism manifested through hirsutism, alopecia and acne, weight problems, etc.) can be rather distressing for the members of this population.

Method and results

The studies were retrieved from different databases (Wiley Online Library, PubMed Central and Science Direct), using the keywords “PCOS”, “adolescent”, “psychology” and “treatment”. The ones included in the analysis were both quantitative and qualitative, their publishing years ranging between 2009 and 2021, and the majority of them dealt with the effects of different manifestations of hyperandrogenism and obesity on psychological well-being. These symptoms appear to influence psychological functioning by means of: lower self-esteem, peer victimization, greater levels of anxiety (especially social anxiety), depression and decreased quality of life. Other studies also emphasized the fear of infertility and sexual dissatisfaction.

The overview also included the studies focusing on interventions, which showed that, although various supplements and medication may help with the reduction of physical symptoms, thus putting the origin of distress under control, psychotherapeutic methods (such as cognitive-behavioural therapy) can have an additional positive impact both on the physical aspects of the condition (e.g. weight management) by fostering the adherence to lifestyle modifications, as well as the aforementioned psychological reactions to the problem.

The study was approved by the Clinical Research Committee of the Institution (531/22).

Conclusion

Given a significant amount of evidence supports the notion of maintaining a combined multidisciplinary approach to this condition, it is highly recommended that the care of adolescent girls diagonosed with PCOS be supplemented with mental healthcare as well. Although the existence of a mediated relationship between the physical disorder and a girl's psychological state is undoubtful (the mediators being the symptoms, notably the ones affecting the appearance), further research could also focus on exploring whether a more direct relationship between the two exists (i.e. if depression and/or anxiety have some organic correlates shared with PCOS).

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