Purpose: To study the health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Design: Descriptive research

Methods: Descriptive research was designed and conducted with 157 women with PCOS, aged 18-44 years, who received treatment at the out-patient departments of Gynecology at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Siriraj Hospital and Rajavithi Hospital, and all of them were selected by using multi-stage sampling technique. Data were collected using a personal characteristic form and the HR-QOL questionnaire whose content validity was examined by 5 experts and their Cornbrash’s alpha coefficients was at .88. The data were analyzed later using frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation.

Findings: The majority of women with PCOS had HR-QOL scored at a good level (Mean = 3.87, SD = 0.52). Domains analysis showed the domain scores at an excellent level includes role limitations due to physical problems (Mean = 4.38, SD = 0.69) and due to emotional problems (Mean = 4.39, SD = 0.75). Meanwhile, the domain scores at a good level includes physical functioning (Mean = 4.20, SD = 0.81), body pain (Mean = 3.90, SD = 0.76), social functioning (Mean = 4.20, SD = 0.70) and general mental health (Mean = 3.53, SD = 0.69). The domain scores at a moderate level were vitality (energy/fatigue) (Mean = 2.87, SD = 0.86) and general health perceptions (Mean = 3.18, SD = 0.90).

Conclusion: Nurses should assess the health-related quality of life in women with PCOS in order to enable themselves to efficiently plan for better improving the health-related quality of life of this woman group along with treatment from other health team providers.