Requirements of Self-care Applications for Patients with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Polycystic ovary syndrome is a chronic disease with a wide range of complications. Due to the complexity of this syndrome, patients often suffer from limited knowledge. With the unprecedented growth of technology, smartphones have gained significant importance due to their availability to facilitate learning and increase self-awareness. This study aimed to identify the requirements of self-care applications for patients with polycystic ovary syndrome.

In this applied study, a quantitative-descriptive design was conducted in 2021. The requirements of the polycystic ovary syndrome applications including educational content, data elements, and features were assessed using needs assessments from patients and gynecologists. In this regard, a questionnaire was administered to patients (n=45) and gynecologists (n=17) in Fatemieh Educational and Medical Center in Hamadan, Iran. The obtained data (44 questionnaires) were analyzed by SPSS software version 24 using descriptive statistics and the necessary components were identified.

The findings indicated that in the view of patients and gynecologists, all educational components were considered necessary except learning the causes of the disease. Finally, out of 53 questioned features in 11 subjects, only “displaying self-care messages for the monthly menstrual cycle” and “messages for nocturnal sleep management” were identified as unnecessary.

The features presented in this study can be considered as a model for designing mobile applications for polycystic ovary syndrome.