A user-centric patient educational intervention in clinical practice: helping women to learn and share experiences about menopause

OBJECTIVE: Over one million women in the United States enter menopause each year. The menopause transition can be daunting, isolating, and confusing due to numerous physical and mental health changes. The aims of this study were to develop a comprehensive, evidence-based, interdisciplinary and educational curriculum designed to increase women's knowledge about the various aspects of menopause and to provide a safe and supportive learning environment. STUDY DESIGN: This mixed-methods study developed a novel research methodology used in clinical practice to create a user-centric, communal menopause educational intervention discussion group. OUTCOME MEASURES: Verbatim responses from the open-ended questions on the Evaluation of Groups (EOG) survey were analysed using standard content data analytic procedures. In addition, on the EOG, participants rated how useful, supportive or upsetting they found the groups on a Likert scale. The Fund of Knowledge (FOK), 13-item questionnaire, was used to examine whether participants' knowledge increased over the four-week course. RESULTS: Our most important finding was the inherent value of understanding participants' experiences and knowledge gained from the discussion groups. CONCLUSIONS: Results provide valuable insight into the rigorous and replicable design of future discussion groups.