Planting the seeds for success: A qualitative study exploring primary healthcare providers' perceptions about medical cannabis.
<h4>Background</h4>In Canada, cannabis legalization altered the way that the public can access cannabis for medical purposes. However, Canadians still struggle with finding healthcare professionals (HCPs) who are involved in medical cannabis counselling and authorization. This raises que...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2024-01-01
|
| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0295858&type=printable |
| _version_ | 1797263513801981952 |
|---|---|
| author | Sandi Schuhmacher Dina Gaid Lisa D Bishop Laura Fleming Jennifer Donnan |
| author_facet | Sandi Schuhmacher Dina Gaid Lisa D Bishop Laura Fleming Jennifer Donnan |
| author_sort | Sandi Schuhmacher |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <h4>Background</h4>In Canada, cannabis legalization altered the way that the public can access cannabis for medical purposes. However, Canadians still struggle with finding healthcare professionals (HCPs) who are involved in medical cannabis counselling and authorization. This raises questions about the barriers that are causing this breakdown in care. Our study explored the perceptions of primary care providers regarding cannabis in their practice.<h4>Methods</h4>Semi-structured interviews were conducted by Zoom with HCPs in Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) to discuss their experiences with medical and non-medical cannabis in practice. Family physicians and nurse practitioners who were practicing in primary care in NL were included. The interview guide and coding template were developed using the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF). A thematic analysis across the TDF was then conducted.<h4>Results</h4>Twelve participants with diverse demographic backgrounds and experience levels were interviewed. Five main themes emerged including, knowledge acquisition, internal influences, patient influences, external HCP influences, and systemic influences. The TDF domain resulting in the greatest representation of codes was environmental context and resources.<h4>Interpretation</h4>The findings suggested that HCPs have significant knowledge gaps in authorizing medical cannabis, which limited their practice competence and confidence in this area. Referring patients to cannabis clinics, while enforcing harm-reduction strategies, was an interim option for patients to access cannabis for medical purposes. However, developing practice guidelines and educational resources were suggested as prominent facilitators to promote medical cannabis authorization within the healthcare system. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-25T00:14:12Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1c88301f161542f39b1a6cd8862c48cf |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-25T00:14:12Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-1c88301f161542f39b1a6cd8862c48cf2024-03-13T05:31:29ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032024-01-01193e029585810.1371/journal.pone.0295858Planting the seeds for success: A qualitative study exploring primary healthcare providers' perceptions about medical cannabis.Sandi SchuhmacherDina GaidLisa D BishopLaura FlemingJennifer Donnan<h4>Background</h4>In Canada, cannabis legalization altered the way that the public can access cannabis for medical purposes. However, Canadians still struggle with finding healthcare professionals (HCPs) who are involved in medical cannabis counselling and authorization. This raises questions about the barriers that are causing this breakdown in care. Our study explored the perceptions of primary care providers regarding cannabis in their practice.<h4>Methods</h4>Semi-structured interviews were conducted by Zoom with HCPs in Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) to discuss their experiences with medical and non-medical cannabis in practice. Family physicians and nurse practitioners who were practicing in primary care in NL were included. The interview guide and coding template were developed using the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF). A thematic analysis across the TDF was then conducted.<h4>Results</h4>Twelve participants with diverse demographic backgrounds and experience levels were interviewed. Five main themes emerged including, knowledge acquisition, internal influences, patient influences, external HCP influences, and systemic influences. The TDF domain resulting in the greatest representation of codes was environmental context and resources.<h4>Interpretation</h4>The findings suggested that HCPs have significant knowledge gaps in authorizing medical cannabis, which limited their practice competence and confidence in this area. Referring patients to cannabis clinics, while enforcing harm-reduction strategies, was an interim option for patients to access cannabis for medical purposes. However, developing practice guidelines and educational resources were suggested as prominent facilitators to promote medical cannabis authorization within the healthcare system.https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0295858&type=printable |
| spellingShingle | Sandi Schuhmacher Dina Gaid Lisa D Bishop Laura Fleming Jennifer Donnan Planting the seeds for success: A qualitative study exploring primary healthcare providers' perceptions about medical cannabis. PLoS ONE |
| title | Planting the seeds for success: A qualitative study exploring primary healthcare providers' perceptions about medical cannabis. |
| title_full | Planting the seeds for success: A qualitative study exploring primary healthcare providers' perceptions about medical cannabis. |
| title_fullStr | Planting the seeds for success: A qualitative study exploring primary healthcare providers' perceptions about medical cannabis. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Planting the seeds for success: A qualitative study exploring primary healthcare providers' perceptions about medical cannabis. |
| title_short | Planting the seeds for success: A qualitative study exploring primary healthcare providers' perceptions about medical cannabis. |
| title_sort | planting the seeds for success a qualitative study exploring primary healthcare providers perceptions about medical cannabis |
| url | https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0295858&type=printable |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sandischuhmacher plantingtheseedsforsuccessaqualitativestudyexploringprimaryhealthcareprovidersperceptionsaboutmedicalcannabis AT dinagaid plantingtheseedsforsuccessaqualitativestudyexploringprimaryhealthcareprovidersperceptionsaboutmedicalcannabis AT lisadbishop plantingtheseedsforsuccessaqualitativestudyexploringprimaryhealthcareprovidersperceptionsaboutmedicalcannabis AT laurafleming plantingtheseedsforsuccessaqualitativestudyexploringprimaryhealthcareprovidersperceptionsaboutmedicalcannabis AT jenniferdonnan plantingtheseedsforsuccessaqualitativestudyexploringprimaryhealthcareprovidersperceptionsaboutmedicalcannabis |