Improving shared decision-making in perimenopause consultations in general practice

The time leading up to menopause is called perimenopause. Perimenopause can cause symptoms that impact how some women go about their daily activities. Symptoms may include hot flushes, irregular bleeding, and trouble sleeping. General Practitioners (GPs) are often the first contact for perimenopausal women with symptoms.
Shared decision-making is recommended in interactions between GPs and women when a decision needs to be made about treatment or management of symptoms. Shared decision-making recognises that GPs are the experts in terms of the evidence. While women are the experts in what matters most to them, including their personal preferences and values. Research suggests that shared decision-making does not always happen across different healthcare settings. Research that looks at shared decision-making in perimenopause consultations is lacking. This research aims:
• To understand how women and GPs experience perimenopause consultations and their experiences of shared decision-making within consultations.
• To understand how treatment decisions are made from the perspective of women and GPs to identify areas that work well and areas that may be improved upon.

Who is the opportunity for?

Perimenopausal women/women with lived experience of perimenopause and have experience of seeking healthcare from a GP in the Republic of Ireland.

What will PPI contributors do?

Contributors will form an advisory group as experts by lived experience. PPI contributors will be asked for their perspectives at different stages of the research cycle, for example, prioritising research questions and the dissemination stage. Outside of online meetings, PPI contributors may be occasionally asked to review research documents such as lay summaries and interview/survey questions for appropriateness for a public/patient audience.