ASSESSMENT OF KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE, AND PRACTICE REGARDING HYPOTHYROIDISM AMONG INFERTILE WOMEN WITH HYPOTHYROIDISM

VIMALA DEVA PRASANNA G; SHARUMATHI SM; SHANMUGA SUNDARAM R

doi:10.22159/ajpcr.2020.v13i9.38401

Authors

VIMALA DEVA PRASANNA G Department of Pharmacy Practice, J. K. K. Nattraja College of Pharmacy, Namakkal, Tamil Nadu, India.
SHARUMATHI SM Department of Pharmacy Practice, J. K. K. Nattraja College of Pharmacy, Namakkal, Tamil Nadu, India.
SHANMUGA SUNDARAM R Department of Pharmacology, J. K. K. Nattraja College of Pharmacy, Namakkal, Tamil Nadu, India.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22159/ajpcr.2020.v13i9.38401

Keywords:

Hypothyroidism, Knowledge, Attitude, Practice, Patient education

Abstract

Objective: The study was designed to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of hypothyroidism among infertile women with hypothyroidism.

Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was performed in an outpatient environment of infertility centers. We used a validated questionnaire to assess hypothyroidism KAP. Using frequency counts (n) and percentages (%), discrete data were summarized. The Chi-square/Fisher test was used between groups to compare.

Results: The mean age of participants was found to be 32±5.77 years. It was found that 72% of the subjects had poor knowledge, 44% were extremely concerned, and 81% were practicing with a moderate level of precaution. Among the consequences of hypothyroidism, 68% of the study subjects most properly-recognized menstrual disturbance, followed by 66%, 51%, and 48% of study subject properly-recognized weight gain, fatigue, and muscle aches/pain as a clinical manifestation of hypothyroidism. Most patients (98%) adhered to their medications. Nearly half of the study patients (45%) did not avoid cabbage, cauliflower, or soya.

Conclusion: Our study highlighted the significance of investing appropriate time to provide patients with a comprehensive education to bridge the gaps in patient care. The findings also indicated that it be better for the understanding of the patients if health-care providers could provide patients with data sheets explaining the disease or having some pictorial/pamphlets about the disease’s reality and myths.

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