Endocrine Abstracts

In 2019, we attended a patient engagement zoom session, hosted by Turner Syndrome Support Society (TSSS), to launch a video illustrating the use of a transdermal patch for pubertal induction in girls with Turner Syndrome (TS). Several girls raised to us that they felt that they did not have a good understanding of puberty, and on why it was important to receive both oestrogen and progesterone preparations during pubertal induction. To target this, we developed an explanatory video for young people and their families to explain the role of the main hormones in puberty and the menstrual cycle, and the importance of both oestrogen and progesterone in TS hormone replacement therapy (HRT). This video was released onto the TSSS YouTube Channel, available free of charge to patients and their families.

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of a video educational intervention to increase understanding of puberty and HRT in girls with TS.

Methods: Approximately 15 attendees joined us for a patient and family evening hosted by TSSS to discuss and promote the video. All girls who had attended were emailed, with prior consent, with a short questionnaire. Before and after watching the video girls were asked to rate their understanding of the following on a likert scale: puberty; the menstrual cycle; the use of oestrogen in pubertal induction; the use of progesterone in pubertal induction (1=no; 2=some; 3=good; 4=excellent). Responses were anonymised.

Results: Five girls responded. Four girls (80%) reported an improvement in understanding across all of the topics covered. No respondent felt they had an ‘excellent’ understanding of the topics before the video, with only 1 respondent feeling they had a ‘good understanding’. All respondents felt they had at least a ‘good understanding’ in all topics after watching the video.

Conclusion: Most girls reported only ‘some understanding’ of puberty, the menstrual cycle, and the use of oestrogen and progesterone prior to watching the video, which improved following watching the video. Short educational videos are an effective way of increasing understanding of key health topics in girls with TS.