Exploring Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Risks: Key Sociodemographic Factors and Health Behaviors Analysis

Sample Size

The survey had a response rate of 95.9%. A total of 1,144 women were invited to take part. Only 4% (47 women) declined. After assessing eligibility by age, 29 participants were excluded for being under 18 years old. The final sample consisted of 1,068 women who met the study criteria.

Characteristics of Participants

The characteristics of the sample, including sociodemographic factors and health behaviors, were outlined in Table 1. Of the 1,068 enrolled women, 91.9% were Saudi citizens. Key highlights include:

• 57.2% were under 30 years old.
• 50.2% were single.
• 72.4% held a bachelor’s degree.
• 92.8% lived in urban areas.
• 81% had sufficient income or savings.
• 69.5% were employed or students.

For health care access, 33.5% had medical insurance, while others relied on public or private hospitals. Health behaviors revealed that 93.4% were nonsmokers, 78.1% did not follow a healthy diet, and 43.4% reported no exercise. Weight status indicated:

• 40% of participants had normal weight.
• 29.2% were overweight.
• 21.9% were obese.

Most women reported no chronic physical (75.1%) or psychological (88.4%) illnesses and did not use medications (76.7%) or herbal remedies (84.8%).

Chronic Conditions

Figure 2 depicts the most common chronic conditions among participants. Anxiety and depression were reported by 19% and 13%, respectively. Other mental health issues included eating disorders (3%) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (5%). On the physical health side:

• 34% had cardiovascular conditions.
• 16% had endocrine and hormonal issues.
• 16% reported bone pain.

Medications and Herbal Remedies

Figure 3 displays the medications frequently reported by participants. The most used medications included multivitamins, antihypertensives, and oral antidiabetic drugs like metformin. Some women also reported using antidepressants and iron supplements.

Figure 4 presents common herbal remedies, with a significant number of women favoring them over conventional medicines. Popular herbs included cumin, anise, chamomile, and ginger, alongside less common options like fenugreek and turmeric.

PCOS Risk Associations

Table 2 details the association between PCOS risk and participant characteristics. About 41.3% were at low risk, while 22.5% had a PCOS diagnosis. Factors linked to PCOS risk included age, marital status, and weight.

Perceived Stress

The average perceived stress score was 19.71. Significant associations with perceived stress included:

• Younger age and single marital status led to higher stress.
• Women with no exercise or poor diet reported greater stress.

Adjusted Associations of PCOS Risk

Table 4 shows results from a multivariate analysis on PCOS risk. Key findings include:

• Women with adequate income had a lower PCOS risk.
• Underweight, normal weight, and overweight women had a lower risk compared to obese women.
• Presence of physical or psychological conditions increased the likelihood of suspected PCOS.
• Herbal remedy users were more likely to be diagnosed with PCOS compared to non-users.

This study provides insight into the health profiles and behaviors of women, particularly concerning PCOS risk and health management strategies.