Which information on women's issues in epilepsy does a community pharmacist need to know? A Delphi consensus study

Area of Science:

• Pharmacology and Women's Health
• Epilepsy Management
• Health Education

Background:

• Community pharmacists play a vital role in managing women with epilepsy (WWE).
• There is a need for standardized knowledge regarding women's specific health issues in epilepsy for pharmacists.
• Existing knowledge gaps can impact the quality of care provided to WWE.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and achieve consensus on a core list of essential knowledge items for community pharmacists concerning women's issues in epilepsy.
• To establish a foundational curriculum for pharmacist education on this specialized topic.

Main Methods:

• A modified Delphi technique was employed for consensus building.
• Knowledge items were gathered from literature review and expert interviews.
• A panel of 30 pharmacists participated in two iterative Delphi rounds, with 10 using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) for ranking.

Main Results:

• A consensus core list of 68 knowledge items across 13 categories was finalized.
• Key areas identified include contraception (14.7%), general counseling (14.7%), preconception counseling (10.3%), and teratogenicity (10.3%).
• Other significant topics include pregnancy effects, menstrual disorders, breastfeeding, and bone health.

Conclusions:

• Consensual knowledge lists can enhance consistency in educating community pharmacists on women's issues in epilepsy.
• Further research is required to determine if these lists improve healthcare services for WWE.
• Standardized knowledge empowers pharmacists to better support women with epilepsy throughout their lives.