The below blog post has been written by the research team, and details of how to participate in the research can be found at the bottom of this post. Verity have sighted the ethics approval granted for the recruitment of this study.
New research is co-developing a psychological support program for women with PCOS by engaging both the women affected and the healthcare professionals who work with them. Focus groups are gathering feedback on an initial intervention concept, which is being refined based on their input to improve mental wellbeing and quality of life. This collaborative approach aims to fill an important gap in PCOS care by ensuring that support is both practical and tailored to the unique needs of those affected.
This study aims to co-develop a psychological intervention to improve the mental health of women with PCOS. Building on previous research, it focuses on gathering feedback through focus groups with healthcare professionals and women with lived experience of the condition to assess the acceptability, feasibility, and necessary improvements of the intervention. The research is led by the University of Derby in collaboration with the University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust. Ethical approval has been obtained for this study.
What’s Involved?
- Attend two focus group sessions to share your views on a proposed psychological intervention for women with PCOS providing feedback during an initial session and again after modifications have been made.
- Each focus group session is estimated to last around 1 hour.
- The study will be conducted online.
Who Can Take Part?
- For professional consultations:
Health care professions including endocrinologists, gynaecologists, GPs, nurses, nutritionists, dieticians who work with women with PCOS who are over the age of 18, reside in the UK and understand written and spoken English. - For lived experience consultations:
UK resident aged 18 to 45 with a formal diagnosis of PCOS, and must be able to understand written and spoken English. - Exclusion criteria
Individuals who have been diagnosed with a mental health condition in the past three months, been hospitalised for mental health issues in the last year, have a personality disorder that might affect their responses, or have severe neurological or developmental disorders. This is to ensure that everyone involved can give fully informed consent and engage safely with sensitive topics.
Why Take Part?
By taking part, you’ll help shape a new psychological intervention aimed at supporting women with PCOS. Your input will guide future strategies to improve outcomes, and anonymous findings may be shared at academic conferences or published to benefit the wider community.
How to Get Involved
- Health care professionals contribution. Please find more information in the following link: https://derby.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bau6ffguDBBzvDM
- Lived experience (PPI) contribution. Please find more information in the following link: https://derby.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3qo52DPesCv0VL0
- The first focus group dates run from June 9th – 13th 2025
About the Researcher(s)
Claire Adshead is a second-year PhD candidate at the University of Derby, collaborating with University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust. She is supervised by Dr Sophie Williams, Dr Dean Fido, Professor David Sheffield. The research team also includes Dr Chris Kite, Professor Harpal Randeva, and Dr Ioannis Kyrou. The research team all specialise in research related to PCOS, focusing on its impact on mental health, stress, health risks, and associated conditions. Together, this team is dedicated to advancing the understanding of the psychological and physiological aspects of PCOS, aiming to inform clinical practice and improve outcomes for women affected by the condition.
Thank you for your interest in this study. Please feel free to share this opportunity with others who may be eligible, and contact Claire Adshead: c.adshead@derby.ac.uk for any questions or further information.
Verity - The PCOS charity 