Mapping Menopause: a rapid review exploring complex menopause care

IMPORTANCE: With the growing and aging global population, the number of women reaching menopause annually is increasingly significant. Patients continue to face gaps in menopause care and barriers to accessing adequate treatment, often due to provider knowledge gaps. These inconsistencies in care are compounded in those with complex menopause. OBJECTIVE: The primary objective of this review was to explore the available literature on complex menopause care delivery in tertiary care settings to inform recommendations for enhanced health care delivery. EVIDENCE REVIEW: The review protocol was registered on Open Science Framework (10.17605/OSF.IO/YKEHV) and employed a rapid review methodology. An extensive search across 4 electronic databases (MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, and Web of Science), along with a grey literature search, was conducted. Data from eligible papers published after 2010 were extracted and screened in Covidence. Quality assessment was completed using Critical Appraisal Skills Program checklists. FINDINGS: Thirteen papers were included in the review, with 10 being high quality and 3 being moderate. Key themes identified in the papers included the use of interdisciplinary care teams, unique needs for unique populations (eg, premature ovarian insufficiency, human immunodeficiency virus, gynecologic or breast cancer), and psychosocial concerns in these populations. There continue to exist gaps in care delivery for the populations identified in this review. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Tertiary care clinics should incorporate a wider array of specialists in complex menopause care, including nonphysician practitioners, to allow for holistic care and to improve health care delivery.