The impact of exercise perceptions and depressive symptoms on polycystic ovary syndrome–specific health-related quality of life

Background: Studies indicate that women with polycystic ovary syndrome have high depressive symptom scores and more perceived barriers than benefits to exercise, factors that may affect health-related quality-of-life. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to explore the impact of perceived exercise benefits and barriers, exercise outcome expectations, and depressive symptoms on polycystic ovary syndrome–specific health-related quality-of-life. Methods: A survey link was posted on polycystic ovary syndrome Facebook groups. Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (n = 935) answered questionnaires about demographics, polycystic ovary syndrome–specific health-related quality-of-life, exercise benefits and barriers, exercise outcome expectations, and depressive symptoms. Data were collected using Qualtrics, transferred to SPSS, and statistically analyzed using regression analyses. Mean responses were reported for the questionnaires, with exercise benefits and barriers means divided for a ratio. Results: Respondents were 32 ± 10.6 years of age, mostly White (72%), and employed full-time (65%). The total mean scores were health-related quality-of-life, 2.7 ± 0.1; exercise outcome expectation, 2.4 ± 0.8; and depressive symptoms, 12.4 ± 5.8. The benefit/barrier ratio was 0.9. HRQoL increased 0.32 points for every additional perceived exercise benefit and 0.61 points for every additional exercise outcome expectation (EOE). HRQoL was reduced by 1.19 points for every additional perceived exercise barrier and 2.82 points for every additional one-point increase of the depressive symptoms score. Conclusions: Respondents reported low health-related quality-of-life, greater exercise barriers than benefits, neutral exercise outcome expectations, and high depressive symptoms. These results suggest that promoting exercise benefits, overcoming exercise barriers, and addressing management of depressive symptoms are important foci of future efforts to improve health-related quality-of-life among women with polycystic ovary syndrome.