Laura-Jane McCarthy is a Health Research Board funded PhD student. Her PhD project focuses on shared decision making in perimenopause consultations in general practice. The project is supervised by Dr Sheena McHugh, School of Public Health, UCC and Dr Aisling Jennings, Department of General Practice, UCC. 

Why are we doing this research? 

Perimenopause consultations can be challenging interactions for general practitioners and women. The treatment of perimenopausal symptoms should be individualised using a shared decision-making model. Shared decision making is a process whereby a healthcare provider and a patient participate together in reaching a decision regarding care. Within shared decision making, the healthcare provider is the expert in terms of medical evidence while the patient is the expert in what matters most to them.  

Evidence suggests that widespread adoption of shared decision making across various clinical settings is slow, less is known about shared decision making in the context of perimenopause care. Research is needed to understand how shared decision making is implemented in perimenopause consultations, as experienced by both general practitioners and women.   

What is involved? 

1. A qualitative evidence synthesis will examine general practitioners’ and women’s experiences of perimenopause consultations, and experiences of shared decision-making within these consultations. 
2. A mixed methods study will be carried out to understand how shared decision-making is operationalised in perimenopause consultations in general practice in Ireland from the perspective of both general practitioners and women. Findings will help to identify areas that work well and areas that need improvement.
3. An implementation intervention will be co-designed based on the findings from the mixed methods study to support implementation of shared decision making in perimenopause consultations.

Perimenopause consultations in general practice Outputs:

Publications

• McCarthy LJ, O'MAhony A, Jennings A and McHugh SM. General practioners' and women's experiences of perimenopause consultations: A qualitative evidence synthesis protocol [Version1; peer review: 1 approved, 1 approved with reservations]. HRB Open Res 2024, 7:39  (https://doi.org/10.12688/hrbopenres.13908.1)

 Presentations

• 29th WONCA Europe Conference, Dublin, Ireland (Poster Presentation) 'General Practitioners' and women's experiences of perimenopause consultations: a qualitative evidence synthesis protocol' Presenter: Laura-Jane McCarthy 24-27 September 2024.

Contact details: 

For further information on this project please contact Laura-Jane McCarthy, School of Public Health, University College Cork at laura-janemccarthy@ucc.ie