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.
There is no cure for polycystic ovarian syndrome, and it relies heavily on lifelong individual self-management and informed decision making, such as lifestyle modifications and engagement with treatment options such as hormonal contraception. Understanding an individuals’ ability to seek, access, understand, appraise, and use reliable health information is therefore essential in identifying where educational interventions is most needed for people living with PCOS.
About the Study
This study seeks to examine the role of health literacy and socioeconomic factors in shaping health information-seeking behaviour and self-efficacy among adults living with PCOS in England. The results will aim to inform future approaches to improving access to reliable PCOS-related health information and identify population areas which can be targeted with these education interventions. This research is conducted from a postgraduate student at the University of Gloucestershire.
This research has received ethical approval from the school ethics board at the University of Gloucestershire on 24/03/2026.
What’s Involved?
- The study is a short online survey
- The survey will take approximately 15 minutes to complete
Who Can Take Part?
- Adults ages 18 years and over
- Anyone who lives in England
- Individuals diagnosed with PCOS
Why Take Part?
Participants contributions will help to build data on who is seeking less reliable health information and where they are searching and, therefore, where educational interventions should be implemented. Importantly, this research will improve understanding of health literacy, health information seeking behaviours, trust in health care and self-efficacy in individuals with PCOS, which are under-researched areas within the PCOS population.
How to Get Involved:
Please click this link https://app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/glos/pcos-health-literacy-and-health-seeking-behaviours or scan the QR code to take part in this study today !
The deadline to complete this study is 31st July.
About the Researcher
The researcher is conducting this research as part of their dissertation progress towards their Postgraduate degree in Health Psychology at the University of Gloucestershire.
Thank you for your interest in this research !
It would be appreciated if you could take part or share this study to anyone you know who may be eligible to participate.
For more information about this study, please contact Ellie Gale at s4202084@glos.ac.uk
You can also contact the supervisor of this dissertation at rclarke8@glos.ac.uk
Verity - The PCOS charity 