Educational Empowerment of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome: Enhancing Knowledge and Practice among Undergraduate College Girls

Aswathy M U, Sarita Shokanda, Anugrah Milton

Abstract: Poly Cystic Ovaries Syndrome is considered to be the most prevalent of all endocrine disorders which women face. It affects 5% to 10% of women in their reproductive years. An experimental study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of an educational package on the prevention and management of PCOS in terms of knowledge and practice among undergraduate college girls in MMS College of Kerala. The conceptual framework for the study was based on the Health Belief Model by Rosenstock.108 undergraduate college girls were selected by stratified random sampling technique, using the stream of study as strata. After establishing reliability structured knowledge questionnaire and structured practice rating scale were administered to undergraduate college girls in order to assess the knowledge and practice on Prevention and management of PCOS before and after the administration of Educational Package. The data collected were processed using statistical software SPSS. Educational Package was found to be effective in improving the post test knowledge and practice scores with the ?t? value of 14.76 and 26.02 respectively for df 107 at 0.05 level of significance. There was a positive correlation (r=0.68) between the post - test knowledge score and post - test practice score. Knowledge was found to be significantly associated with BMI, educational status of the mother, year of study, family income, history of diabetes in the family, and unhealthy eating habits and practice was significantly associated with BMI, educational status of the mother, stream of study, year of study, and family income at 0.05 level of significance.

Keywords: Poly Cystic Ovaries Syndrome, Knowledge, Practice, Educational Package, Undergraduate college girls