Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Marginalized Population in the United States

Abstract The National Institutes of Health has identified polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) as a major public health problem for women in the United States and recommends establishing multidisciplinary programs to improve the awareness of the public and health care providers regarding management for...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Health & social work 2020-01, Vol.45 (1), p.40-46
Main Author: Sanchez, Ninive
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescents
Beauty
Birth control
Case studies
Clinical standards
Contraceptives
Femininity
Health behavior
Health care industry
Health problems
Health services
Marginality
Medical personnel
Multidisciplinary teams
Ovaries
Patients
Polycystic ovarian syndrome
Polycystic ovary syndrome
Public health
Social construction
Social workers
Stigma
Symptoms
Womanhood
Women
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Summary:Abstract The National Institutes of Health has identified polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) as a major public health problem for women in the United States and recommends establishing multidisciplinary programs to improve the awareness of the public and health care providers regarding management for women with PCOS. This article argues that individuals with PCOS are marginalized due to the syndrome’s misleading name; its underrepresentation in research; lack of culturally and gender-sensitive standards of care; debates about the contraceptive mandate; and stigmatization due to symptoms that do not conform to dominant social constructs of beauty, femininity, and womanhood. The article directs readers to key publications on the assessment and treatment of patients with PCOS, discusses a case study that illustrates the role of a social worker in treating an adolescent with PCOS as part of a multidisciplinary team, and emphasizes the importance of integrating behavioral health in the treatment of patients with PCOS.
ISSN:0360-7283
1545-6854
DOI:10.1093/hsw/hlz033