Effectiveness of Structured Teaching Programme on Knowledge regarding Poly Cystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) among College students

Manimegalai M¹, P Sangeetha², K. Priyanka³, G. Ramyapriya⁴, S. Sankareswari⁵,

S. Shanmugapriya⁶, T. Shivani⁷

¹Principal Cum Professor, VPMM College of Nursing, Krishnankoil.

^2-7Final Year B.Sc Nursing Students, VPMM College of Nursing, Krishnankoil.

*Corresponding Author E-mail:

ABSTRACT:

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex endocrine and metabolic disorder commonly characterized by polycystic ovaries, obesity, insulin resistance, anovulation, and infertility. Although the onset commonly occurs in adolescence, the symptoms may change over time. Ovarian cysts, high testosterone, irregular periods, and hormonal imbalances can all be symptoms of PCOS. Unusual periods, typically accompanied by a lack of ovulation, might make pregnancy challenging. PCOS is a leading cause of infertility. Since PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) is a prevalent endocrine disorder that affects women of reproductive age, young girls should learn about it. Prompt diagnosis and treatment can help avoid long-term consequences. Increased awareness can empower young girls to recognize symptoms, seek help, and manage the condition effectively, improving their quality of life. Aim of the study: This study assessed the effectiveness of a structured teaching program on knowledge regarding PCOS among 30 undergraduate students at VPMM Arts and Science College, Krishnankoil. Methodology: A pre-experimental, one-group pre-test post-test design was employed for this study. Non probability Purposive sampling technique was adapted to select the samples. Sample size was 30. Data collection was facilitated through a structured knowledge questionnaire focused on PCOS. Results: The researcher found that there was a significant improvement in knowledge of college students after the administration of structured teaching programme on PCOS and there was significant association between levels of post-test knowledge of college students with selected demographic variables such as family income and previous source of information. Conclusion: The findings of the study revealed that structured teaching programme on knowledge regarding PCOS was effective among college students.

KEYWORDS: Structured Teaching Program, Knowledge, PCOS, Education, College Students, Pre-Test, Post-Test, Demographic Variables.

INTRODUCTION:

PCOS afflicted women may have elevated testosterone levels, numerous little ovarian cysts, and irregular ovulation. Weight gain, infertility, acne, excessive hair growth, and missed or irregular menstrual cycles are all consequences of PCOS. Endometrial cancer, high blood pressure, heart issues, and type 2 diabetes may all be more likely to affect women with PCOS. A woman's plans to get pregnant may influence the kind of PCOS therapy she receives. Women may take several medications if they intend to get pregnant in the future. PCOS is a complex condition, and management should be individualized based on a person's specific symptoms, health goals, and preferences.¹

PCOS cannot be cured. To lessen the effects of symptoms and the chance of complications in later life, there are a number of management techniques that can be used. It is the most common disorder of the endocrine system, affecting 8-13% of women at some point in their lives.²

Women may be at higher risk for PCOS due to several factors such as lifestyle choices, dietary habits, exposure to environmental pollutants, genetic predispositions, imbalances in gut bacteria, changes in hormone levels, and obesity.³

First, especially if they are overweight or obese, women with PCOS should prioritize leading healthy lives that include a balanced diet and enough exercise. This is crucial since carrying too much weight can make the body more resistant to insulin, which can lead to or exacerbate PCOS symptoms.⁴

An international collaboration is crucial for developing an Evidence-Based PCOS Guideline that aims to enhance the health outcomes of women dealing with PCOS. It’s important to effectively communicate this guideline and integrate it into health policies and clinical practices. Doing so will help close the gap between knowledge and practice, guide future research, and ultimately result in improved health outcomes for women with PCOS.⁵

Medication is available to treat certain symptoms, like irregular menstruation and hirsuitism. For instance, oral contraceptive tablets can help women with PCOS have regular periods by restoring normal hormone levels. Additionally, this helps to shed the uterine lining and lowers the chance of developing endometrial cancer in later life. Medication like clomiphene can help women with PCOS who want to get pregnant by promoting ovulation. Some women, however, could need in-vitro fertilization (IVF) or laparoscopic ovarian drilling (LOD), which is a surgical technique to remove abnormal cells in the ovaries.⁶

The goal of treatment is to ease the symptoms of hyperandrogenism, restore regular menstrual cycles, and support the journey toward conception. When tackling infertility linked to polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), letrozole—an aromatase inhibitor—generally proves more effective than clomiphene citrate, a commonly used anti-estrogen in infertility therapies. By taking a collaborative approach and working with a multidisciplinary team, patients can be empowered to make healthy lifestyle changes, such as reducing body fat, enhancing metabolism, and improving overall reproductive health.⁷

Vitamin E supplements could potentially benefit individuals by improving certain risk factors associated with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).⁸

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM:

A study to assess the effectiveness of structured teaching programme on knowledge regarding polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) among students of V.P.M.M Arts and Science College for women at Krishnankoil.

OBJECTIVES:

· To assess the pre-test knowledge of College students regarding PCOS

· To assess the post-test knowledge of College students regarding PCOS

· To evaluate the effectiveness of Structured teaching programme on Knowledge regarding PCOS by comparing pre-test and Post-test knowledge

· To find out the association between the post-test knowledge with their selected socio demographic variables.

HYPOTHESIS:

H₁: There will be a significant difference between mean pre and post test score of knowledge regarding PCOS among College students

H₂: There will be a significant association between Post-test knowledge score with their socio demographic variables among college students ⁹

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Research Approach:

Quantitative evaluative approach used to see the effectiveness of structured teaching programme on knowledge regarding PCOS among college students.

Research Design:

Pre experimental one group pre-testand post-test design used for this study.

Variables:

Socio demographic variables:

Age, religion, marital status, area of living, previous source of information, Family income.

Independent variable:

Structured teaching programme on PCOS is the independent variable in this study.

Dependent Variable:

Knowledge regarding PCOS among College students is the dependent variable in this study.

Setting of the study:

VPMM Arts and Science College is the setting of the study.

Population:

All B. Sc Maths second year students

Sample:

II-year B. Sc Maths students of VPMM College Arts andScience College who fulfilled the inclusion criteria.

Sample Size:

30 B.sc Maths II year students.

Sampling Technique:

Non probability Purposive sampling.

Criteria for Sample selection:

Inclusion criteria:

B. Sc Maths II year students

· Those who are willing to participate ¹⁰

· those who know to read English or Tamil

Exclusion criteria:

B. Sc Maths II year students

· Those who are not available at the time of data collection.

Description of the Tool:

The data were collected by using Structured Knowledge Questionnaire. The tool consisted of

Section A and B.

Section A: Demographic Variables of the College Students Consisted of Age, Religion, Marital Status, Area of Living, Previous Source of Information, Family Income

Section B: Structured Knowledge Questionnaire regarding PCOS which consisted of 30 items.

Table 1 presents the maximum scores, mean, standard deviation, and mean percentage of both pre-test and post-test knowledge scores related to PCOS. The maximum score in the pre-test was 13, with a mean of 8.0, standard deviation of 2.1, and a mean percentage of 61.3%. In the post-test, the maximum score increased to 26, with a higher mean score of 20.5, standard deviation of 2.2, and a mean percentage of 78.8%. The mean difference between pre-test and post-test score was 17.6, indicating a substantial improvement in participants’ knowledge after the intervention.

Table 2: Effectiveness of structured teaching programme on level of knowledge regarding polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) among college students N=30

Knowledge aspects	Pre-test Mean (SD)	Post-test Mean (SD)	t-value	Significance
PCOS	7.97 ± 2.13	20.30 ± 2.09	23.89	P<0.05; S

Table 2 presents the effectiveness of the structured teaching programme on the level of knowledge regarding polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) among B.Sc. (Maths) students. The mean knowledge score increased from 7.97±2.13 in the pre-test to 20.30±2.09 in the post-test. The computed t-value of 23.89 was found to be statistically significant at P<0.05. This clearly indicates a significant improvement in knowledge levels following the structured teaching programme.

MAJOR FINDINGS OF THE STUDY:

This study found that all participants were aged 19 to 20 years, making up 30 individuals (100%). The pre-test results indicated that everyone, 100%, had inadequate knowledge about PCOS. After the intervention, the post-test results showed that 30% of participants achieved adequate knowledge, while 70% reached a moderate level of understanding. The mean pre-test percentage was calculated at 61.3 with a standard deviation of 2.1, whereas the post-test mean percentage rose to 78.8% with a standard deviation of 2.2. The overall mean score improved to 20.5 in the post-test, compared to a pre-test mean score of 8, demonstrating a significant increase in the college students' knowledge regarding PCOS. The mean difference between pre-test and post-test scores was 17.6, indicating a substantial improvement in participants’ knowledge after the intervention. A paired t-test was performed to analyse the difference between the pre-test and post-test scores, resulting in a t-value of 23.89, which indicates a statistically significant result at P<0.05. Hence, the research hypothesis (H₁) stating that there will be a significant difference between mean pre- and post-test scores on the level of knowledge of B.Sc. (Maths) students on PCOS is accepted. With regard to association of level of knowledge with their selected demographic variables, family monthly incomeand previous source of information are significant at the level of P<0.05 others are not significant. So, H₂ hypothesis is accepted.

CONCLUSION:

The research highlighted that the structured teaching program significantly enhanced college students’ understanding of PCOS. It underscores the importance of providing on going education about PCOS to ensure students stay informed about the latest developments in this area.

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Received on 25.07.2025 Revised on 18.08.2025

Accepted on 06.09.2025 Published on 27.10.2025

Available online from November 08, 2025

Int. J. Nursing Education and Research. 2025;13(4):227-230.

DOI: 10.52711/2454-2660.2025.00046

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Creative Commons License.

Knowledge aspects	No of items	Pre-test				Post-test				Mean difference
Knowledge aspects	No of items	Max. Score	Mean	SD	Mean %	Max. Score	Mean	SD	Mean %	Mean difference
PCOS	30.0	13.0	8.0	2.1	61.3	26.0	20.5	2.2	78.8	17.6