Date of Award
Summer 2025
Document Type
Open Access Dissertation
Department
Health Promotion, Education and Behavior
First Advisor
Gabrielle Turner-McGrievy
Abstract
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a complex endocrine disorder that affects up to 21% of women of reproductive age and is associated with a range of physical, emotional, and metabolic health challenges. As many individuals with PCOS report dissatisfaction with traditional healthcare communication, social media has become an increasingly important space for information-seeking, identity formation, and health decision-making. This dissertation explored how women with PCOS engage with social media content to manage their condition and how health messages related to PCOS are constructed and communicated by a leading influencer.
The first aim of this mixed-methods dissertation investigated how women with PCOS make sense of health information on social media through in-depth qualitative interviews with 30 individuals diagnosed with PCOS. Using thematic analysis guided by sense-making theory, four major themes emerged: (1) social media as a personalized learning space, (2) critical appraisal and iterative experimentation, (3) community-based meaning-making, and (4) cultural identity as an interpretive lens. These findings illustrate how social media offers both empowerment and burden, requiring users to navigate conflicting information and fill gaps left by the healthcare system.
The second aim involved a content analysis of 120 Instagram posts by The PCOS Mentor, the most frequently cited influencer from Aim 1. Posts were coded for constructs from the Extended Parallel Process Model (EPPM), including perceived severity, susceptibility, self-efficacy, and response efficacy, as well as topical themes. Response efficacy was the most frequently observed construct, while self-efficacy and susceptibility were less commonly present. Posts with emotional or psychological content were significantly less likely to include self-efficacy cues. Engagement analyses revealed that posts low in both severity and susceptibility often received the highest likes and comments, suggesting that lower-threat content may drive more interaction on social media platforms.
Together, these studies provide new insight into the health communication practices of women with PCOS and the influencer content shaping their experiences. Findings highlight the importance of integrating evidence-based, empowering, and culturally resonant strategies in digital health communication, particularly for marginalized chronic illness communities navigating fragmented care systems.
Rights
© 2025, Halide Zeynep Aydin
Recommended Citation
Aydin, H. Z.(2025). Making Sense of PCOS in the Digital Age: A Mixed-Methods Study of Health Communication and Social Media Engagement. (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/etd/8499