Assessing pharmacy student understanding of menopause and hormone replacement therapy: A survey study

Pharmacists have the potential to take on a leading role in menopause service provision, but this calls for a well-educated workforce. To support this ambition, high-quality undergraduate teaching is paramount so qualified pharmacists are prepared to take on these roles. This study aims find out current confidence and knowledge of pharmacy students on menopause and hormone replacement therapy.

Pharmacy students at eight universities in the United Kingdom were invited by email to complete an online survey on menopause and hormone replacement therapy. Students were asked to self-report their confidence on each topic (0 = not confident at all, 10 = very confident), answer subject-specific questions and specify their preferred teaching methods. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and a thematic approach where appropriate.

In total 178 students (158 [88.8%] aged 18-24 years, 147 [82.6%] female) in years 1 (59, 33.1%), 2 (35, 19.7%), 3 (28, 15.7%) and 4 (56, 31.5%) completed the survey. Median [interquartile range] self-reported confidence in knowledge on menopause and hormone replacement therapy was 5.0 [4-6] and 4.0 [2-5], respectively. Students had basic knowledge of what menopause is, how long it lasts and common symptoms, but were uncertain about the risks and benefits of hormone replacement therapy. Students most commonly chose lectures (133/176, 75.6%) as their preferred teaching method.

Pharmacy students lack confidence in their own knowledge of menopause and hormone replacement therapy. Pharmacy schools must evaluate their current curricula and consider how these topics are taught, specifically the associated risks with hormone replacement therapy.