By the time many patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) arrive at your office, they may feel skeptical about receiving optimal PCOS treatment and wary of physicians in general. Although there's little data to evaluate the patient/provider relationship in relation to PCOS, one recent study found that patients with PCOS are more likely to report dissatisfaction with their clinicians. By understanding the challenges faced by patients with this condition, healthcare providers can better treat them.
PCOS: Why Specialty Care Matters
PCOS is a hormonal disorder that affects an estimated 1 in 10 women of reproductive age. Although its exact cause remains unclear, it appears to occur when a woman produces higher-than-normal amounts of androgens (including testosterone). Women with PCOS also tend to have high blood levels of insulin or actual insulin resistance. These factors can increase the likelihood of fertility problems and trigger symptoms such as extra hair growth, acne and weight gain.
These symptoms may drive women to their primary-care physicians (PCPs) for help. Once there, however, these patients may not receive the attention and PCOS treatment they would like. In some research, a substantial proportion of patients with PCOS in several countries have reported feeling frustrated with their early medical experiences, resulting in negative beliefs about medical care.
To further explore this phenomenon, researchers at Cornell University analyzed data from 332 American women with and without PCOS. They found that patients who had PCOS were more likely to have greater distrust in their PCP's opinion than their peers without the condition. Women with PCOS felt that their PCPs spent less effort and were less qualified to deliver PCOS treatment than to address general health concerns. The researchers also found that women with PCOS felt they had more arguments with their PCPs than the comparison group.
Helping Patients Gain Trust
Women with PCOS may be frustrated with their PCPs for any number of reasons: PCOS hasn't been well-researched, and clinicians other than gynecologists may be less knowledgeable about the condition and less likely to correctly diagnose and treat it. Further, access to internet resources means that patients may be better-aware of new developments in PCOS treatment than their physicians.
Such findings emphasize the need for specialty care for PCOS patients. PCPs should refer patients with suspected PCOS to specialists experienced in diagnosing and treating the condition. Gynecologists can help ease patients' concerns and establish trust by tailoring their advice to acknowledge the particular difficulties these women face and hearing them out without judgment. Providing strong informational and emotional support may also help reduce feelings of distrust between patients and physicians.
