Prospectively Surveying Health-Related Quality of Life and Symptom Relief in a Lot-Based Sample of Medical Cannabis-Using Patients in Urban Washington State Reveals Managed Chronic Illness and Debility
Restricted accessResearch articleFirst published online September, 2013
Prospectively Surveying Health-Related Quality of Life and Symptom Relief in a Lot-Based Sample of Medical Cannabis-Using Patients in Urban Washington State Reveals Managed Chronic Illness and Debility
To characterize health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in medical cannabis patients.
Methods:
Short Form 36 (SF-36) Physical Health Component Score and Mental Health Component Score (MCS) surveys as well has CDC (Centers for Disease Control) HRQoL-14 surveys were completed by 37 qualified patients.
Results:
Mean SF-36 PCS and MCS, normalized at 50, were 37.4 and 44.2, respectively. Eighty percent of participants reported activity/functional limitations secondary to impairments or health problems. Patients reported using medical cannabis to treat a wide array of symptoms across multiple body systems with relief ratings consistently in the 7-10/10 range.
Conclusion:
The HRQoL results in this sample of medical cannabis-using patients are comparable with published norms in other chronically ill populations. Data presented provide insight into medical cannabis-using patients’ self-rated health, HRQoL, disease incidences, and cannabis-related symptom relief.
WangTColletJShapiroSWareMA. Adverse effects of medical cannabinoids: a systematic review. Can Med Assoc J. 2008;178(13):1669–1678.
2.
AggarwalSKCarterGTSullivanMDMorrillRZumBrunnenCMayerJD. Medicinal use of cannabis in the United States: historical perspectives, current trends, and future directions. J Opioid Manag. 2009;5(3):153–168.
3.
VettorRPagottoUPaganoCPasqualiR.Here, there and everywhere: the endocannabinoid system. J Neuroendocrinol. 2008;20(suppl 1):iv–vi.
ChildCMitchellTFAbramsDI.Patterns of therapeutic marijuana use in two community-based cannabis buyers’ cooperatives. [abstract no. 60569] Proceedings of the 12th World Conference on AIDS, Geneva, Switzerland, June 1998; 12: 1105. Abstract at: http://gateway.nlm.nih.gov/MeetingAbstracts/ma?f=102232518.html. Accessed April 6, 2012.
6.
HarrisDJonesRTShankR. Self-reported marijuana effects and characteristics of 100 San Francisco medical marijuana club members. J Addict Dis. 2000;19(3):89–103.
7.
GieringerD.Medical use of cannabis: Experience in California. In: GrotenhermenFRussoE, eds. Cannabis and Cannabinoids: Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Therapeutic Potential. Binghamton, NY: Haworth Press; 2001:153–170.
8.
CorralVL. Differential effects of medical marijuana based on strain and route of administration: a three-year observational study. JCANT. 2001;1(3-4):43–59.
9.
ChapkisWWebbRJ. Dying to Get High: Marijuana as Medicine. New York, NY: New York University Press; 2008.
10.
ONDCP. 2008 Marijuana Sourcebook. Marijuana: The Greatest Cause of Illegal Drug Abuse. Office of National Drug Control Policy Executive Office of the President. July 2008. Marijuana 08-1 [07-29]. http://www.justice.gov/dea/statistics/Marijuana_2008.pdf. Accessed April 6, 2012.
11.
ReinmanA. Cannabis Care: Medical Cannabis Facilities as Health Service Providers. [dissertation]. Berkeley, CA: School of Social Welfare/Alcohol Research Group, University of California; 2006.
12.
ReinmanA. Medical cannabis patients: patient profiles and health care utilization patterns. Complement Health Pract Rev. 2007;12(1):31–50.
McHorneyCA. Health status assessment methods for adults: past accomplishments and future challenges. Annu Rev Public Health. 1999;20:309–335.
16.
IdlerELBenyaminiY. Self-rated health and mortality: a review of twenty-seven community studies. J Health Soc Behav. 1997;38(1):21–37.
17.
WareJESnowKKKosinskiMGandekB. SF-36 Health Survey: Manual and Interpretation Guide. Boston, MA: The Health Institute; 1993.
18.
WareJEKosinskiMKellerSD.SF-36 physical and mental health summary scales: a user’s manual. Boston, MA: The Health Institute; 1994.
19.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Measuring Healthy Days. Atlanta, Georgia: CDC; 2000.
20.
MoriartyDGZackMMKobauR. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Healthy Days Measures–population tracking of perceived physical and mental health over time. Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2003;1:37. doi:10.1186/1477-7525-1-37. http://www.hqlo.com/content/1/1/37.Accessed April 6, 2012.
21.
RyanKBissellPMorecroftC. Narratives about illness and medication: a neglected theme/new methodology within pharmacy practice research. Part II: medication narratives in practice. Pharm World Sci. 2007;29(4):353–360.
SwiftWGatesPDillonP. Survey of Australians using cannabis for medical purposes. Harm Reduct J. 2005;2:18. doi:10.1186/1477-7517-2-18. http://www.harmreductionjournal.com/content/2/1/18. Accessed April 6, 2012.
27.
GrinspoonLBakalarJ. Marihuana: The Forbidden Medicine. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press; 1997.
OFM. Intercensal and Postcensal Estimates of CountyPopulation by Age and Sex: 1980-2007. Office of Financial Management, Forecasting Division, September 2007 (modified 10/3/07). Median Household Income Estimates by County: 1989 to 2006 and Projection for 2007. Washington State Office of Financial Management, Olympia, Washington.
LeonACHedekerDTeresJJ. Bias reduction in effectiveness analyses of longitudinal ordinal doses with a mixed-effects propensity adjustment. Stat Med. 2007;26(1):110–123.
Supplementary Material
Please find the following supplemental material available below.
For Open Access articles published under a Creative Commons License, all supplemental material carries the same license as the article it is associated with.
For non-Open Access articles published, all supplemental material carries a non-exclusive license, and permission requests for re-use of supplemental material or any part of supplemental material shall be sent directly to the copyright owner as specified in the copyright notice associated with the article.
