Prevalence and factors associated with the use of complementary and alternative medicine among PCOS patients

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrinopathy in women and the most common cause of anovulatory infertility. It is considered incurable in conventional medicine and both patients and physicians have expressed dissatisfaction with delayed diagnosis, challenging and unsatisfactory management regimen used. Global interest in Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is rising, and patients have expressed a desire to find a safe and effective treatment for their PCOS.

The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and factors associated with the use of complementary and alternative medicine among PCOS patients.

A sample size of 209 was calculated; however, due to a response rate of 86%, a total of 180 questionnaires were analyzed. The study employed a universal sampling method. An analytic cross-sectional study was conducted on 180 patients with PCOS recruited from 2 hospitals. Validated self-administered questionnaire was used and data was analyzed using SPSS version 25.0. Independent variables included socio-demographic factors, perceived severity, benefits, and barriers. Binary logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between CAM use and perceived severity, benefit, barriers, and health locus of control, while the chi-square test examined the link between socio-demographic factors and CAM use.

A total of 180 patients with PCOS responded to the study. 67.2% of respondents were aged 30-39, with infertility being the most common symptom (85.2%). The prevalence of CAM use was 57.8%, and 12.8% of respondents reported side effects. Ethnicity (Malay) was significantly associated with CAM use (x² = 4.408, p = 0.036), and perceived benefit also showed a significant association (OR = 2.09, p = 0.007). However, perceived severity, perceived barrier, and health locus of control had no significant association with CAM use.

In conclusion, this study established the prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use among patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and highlighted key factors influencing their preference for such treatments. These findings provide valuable insights for healthcare providers and policymakers to better understand patient behavior and treatment choices, ultimately aiding in the development of more patient-centered, culturally sensitive, and effective management strategies for PCOS.