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.
Evidence suggests that people living with PCOS can experience body image concerns, disordered eating, and eating disorders; however, there is limited, in-depth research exploring lived experiences and support needs.
At the University of Birmingham, in collaboration with the University of Warwick, we are conducting the project called, An Anthropological Approach to Eating Disorders: Developing an Innovative Socio-cultural Strategy for Research, Treatment and Prevention. The core aim of this research is to understand the experiences of people whose voices do not usually get listened to in eating disorders research.
In this study, we are recruiting people aged 18+ with PCOS who have also experienced disordered eating and/or eating disorders to participate in an interview study, as part of this wider research project.
We would ask you to read the participant information sheet and sign a consent form. The interview will be with a non-clinical researcher that will take place online over teams or zoom. It would last approximately an hour. We would like to discuss any aspects of your experience that you feel it is important to highlight to the researcher. You will be paid £25 for taking part.
By taking part, you will help to deepen and shape understandings of what it is like to live with PCOS and experience disordered eating and/or an eating disorder, which we hope will inform guidance for support for overlooked groups.
As a team, we are passionate about widening access to support for eating disorders, particularly amongst groups who have been historically overlooked, including PCOS.
If you would like more information, or might be interested in taking part, please email: edresearch@contacts.bham.ac.uk (Please quote ‘PCOS’ in your email so that we know you are interested in this study)
The project lead is Dr Anna Lavis, University of Birmingham. Thank you for your interest.
Verity - The PCOS charity 