A Cultural Perspective on the Lived Experience of South Asian American Women With PCOS
Abstract
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine-metabolic disorder impacting multiple domains of individuals’ physical and mental health. Despite its far-reaching consequences for quality of life, most studies related to individuals’ experiences with PCOS have been conducted from a medical perspective. Less is known about the sociocultural experiences of individuals from diverse ethnic/racial backgrounds living with PCOS. While the prevalence of PCOS among individuals from distinct ethnicities is equivocal, South Asians have been found to experience greater severity and earlier onset of PCOS symptoms compared to other ethnicities. South Asian Americans are a rapidly growing immigrant population in the United States; however, research pertaining to their health beliefs, health-seeking behaviors, and sociocultural experiences of illnesses is scarce. The purpose of this study was to understand how culture, gender, and ethnicity contribute to the lived experience of South Asian American emerging adult women with PCOS via a phenomenological and transcendental inquiry model. Through in-depth interviews with 16 emerging adult, Indian American women, seven primary themes emerged: (a) Health Prior to Diagnosis; (b) Diagnosis Experience; (c) Living with PCOS: Psychological Risks; (d) Living with PCOS: Intimacy and Distance in the Context of Interpersonal Relationships; (e) An Intersectional Perspective of Living with PCOS; (f) “There’s No Magic Fix”: Management of PCOS Symptoms and Future Concerns; and (g) Recommendations for other South Asian American women Living with PCOS: “Find your Community.” Limitations, avenues for future research, and clinical implications for providing mental health services to this population are discussed.
Subject Area
Counseling Psychology|Womens studies|Asian American Studies
Recommended Citation
Aladin, Meera, "A Cultural Perspective on the Lived Experience of South Asian American Women With PCOS" (2024). ETD Collection for Fordham University. AAI31299067.
https://research.library.fordham.edu/dissertations/AAI31299067
