Emotional and psychosexual well-being is influenced by ethnicity and birthplace in women and individuals with polycystic ovary syndrome in the UK and India.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the association of ethnicity and birthplace on emotional and psychosexual well-being in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Community recruitment via social media campaigns.

POPULATION: Women with PCOS completing an online questionnaire in September-October 2020 (UK) and May-June 2021 (India).

METHODS

The survey has five components, with a baseline information and sociodemographic section followed by four validated questionnaires: Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS); Body Image Concern Inventory (BICI); Beliefs About Obese Persons Scale (BAOP); and Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: We used adjusted linear and logistic regression models, adjusting for age, education, marital status and parity, to evaluate the impact of ethnicity and birthplace on questionnaire scores and outcomes (anxiety and/or depression, HADS ≥ 11; body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), BICI ≥ 72).

RESULTS

A total of 1008 women with PCOS were included. Women of non-white ethnicity (613/1008) reported higher rates of depression (OR 1.96, 95% CI 1.41-2.73) and lower BDD (OR 0.57, 95% CI 0.41-0.79) than white women (395/1008). Women born in India (453/1008) had higher anxiety (OR 1.57, 95% CI 1.00-2.46) and depression (OR 2.20, 95% CI 1.52-3.18) but lower BDD rates (OR 0.42, 95% CI 0.29-0.61) than women born in the UK (437/1008). All sexual domains, excluding desire, scored lower for non-white women and women born in India.

CONCLUSIONS

Non-white women and women born in India reported higher emotional and sexual dysfunction, whereas white women and women born in the UK reported higher body image concerns and weight stigma. Ethnicity and birthplace need to be considered for tailored, multidisciplinary care.