Effects of digital health education intervention on stress, anxiety and depression of patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome: study protocol for a single blinded randomized controlled trial

    January 2026 in “ AIMS Public Health ”
    Sadia Akter, Farkhanda Mahjebin, Mohammad Delwer Hossain Hawlader, Md Moshiur Rahman, Sanmei Chen, Saori Kashima, Sheuly Akter, Shamit Dasgupta, Yoko Shimpuku, Ministry of Health, Government of British Columbia, Canada
    TLDR Digital health education may reduce stress, anxiety, and depression in PCOS patients.
    This study protocol describes a single-blinded randomized controlled trial in Bangladesh, involving 185 participants with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), to assess the effects of a digital health education intervention on stress, anxiety, and depression. Participants are divided into an intervention group using a smartphone app with educational content and a control group receiving usual care. The study measures psychological outcomes with the DASS21 questionnaire and physiological markers like cortisol and testosterone over 6 months. The hypothesis is that the digital intervention will improve mental health outcomes by reducing stress, anxiety, and depression, and promoting lifestyle changes that lower testosterone and cortisol levels. The research aims to address a gap in digital health education for PCOS-related mental health issues in low- and middle-income countries.
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