Correlates of cannabis use in a sample of mental health treatment-seeking Canadian armed forces members and veterans
Abstract Objective Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members and Veterans are more likely to experience mental health (MH) conditions, such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), than the general Canadian population. Previous research suggests that an increasing number of individuals are employing canna...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-11-01
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| Series: | BMC Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-023-05237-2 |
| _version_ | 1797557383223836672 |
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| author | Kate St. Cyr Anthony Nazarov Tri Le Maede Nouri Priyonto Saha Callista A Forchuk Vanessa Soares Sonya G. Wanklyn Brian M. Bird Brent D. Davis Lisa King Felicia Ketcheson J. Don Richardson |
| author_facet | Kate St. Cyr Anthony Nazarov Tri Le Maede Nouri Priyonto Saha Callista A Forchuk Vanessa Soares Sonya G. Wanklyn Brian M. Bird Brent D. Davis Lisa King Felicia Ketcheson J. Don Richardson |
| author_sort | Kate St. Cyr |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Objective Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members and Veterans are more likely to experience mental health (MH) conditions, such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), than the general Canadian population. Previous research suggests that an increasing number of individuals are employing cannabis for MH symptom relief, despite a lack of robust evidence for its effectiveness in treating PTSD. This research aimed to: (1) describe the prevalence of current cannabis use among MH treatment-seeking CAF members and Veterans; and (2) estimate the association between current cannabis use and a number of sociodemographic, military, and MH-related characteristics. Method Using cross-sectional intake data from 415 CAF members and Veterans attending a specialized outpatient MH clinic in Ontario, Canada, between January 2018 and December 2020, we estimated the proportion of CAF members and Veterans who reported current cannabis use for either medical or recreational purposes. We used multivariable logistic regression to estimate adjusted odds ratios for a number of sociodemographic, military, and MH-related variables and current cannabis use. Results Almost half of the study participants (n = 187; 45.1%) reported current cannabis use. Respondents who reported current cannabis use for medical purposes had a higher median daily dose than those who reported current cannabis use for recreational purposes. The multivariable logistic regression identified younger age, lower income, potentially hazardous alcohol use, and increased bodily pain as statistically significant correlates of current cannabis use among our MH treatment-seeking sample. PTSD severity, depressive severity, sleep quality, and suicide ideation were not statistically associated with current cannabis use. Conclusions Almost half of our treatment-seeking sample reported current cannabis use for medical or recreational purposes, emphasizing the importance of screening MH treatment-seeking military members and Veterans for cannabis use prior to commencing treatment. Future research building upon this study could explore the potential impact of cannabis use on MH outcomes. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T17:16:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-71ea9f2acaf6475788f2e85b31c2cba2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-244X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T17:16:16Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-71ea9f2acaf6475788f2e85b31c2cba22023-11-20T10:30:16ZengBMCBMC Psychiatry1471-244X2023-11-012311810.1186/s12888-023-05237-2Correlates of cannabis use in a sample of mental health treatment-seeking Canadian armed forces members and veteransKate St. Cyr0Anthony Nazarov1Tri Le2Maede Nouri3Priyonto Saha4Callista A Forchuk5Vanessa Soares6Sonya G. Wanklyn7Brian M. Bird8Brent D. Davis9Lisa King10Felicia Ketcheson11J. Don Richardson12MacDonald Franklin OSI Research Centre, Lawson Health Research InstituteMacDonald Franklin OSI Research Centre, Lawson Health Research InstituteMacDonald Franklin OSI Research Centre, Lawson Health Research InstituteMacDonald Franklin OSI Research Centre, Lawson Health Research InstituteMacDonald Franklin OSI Research Centre, Lawson Health Research InstituteMacDonald Franklin OSI Research Centre, Lawson Health Research InstituteMacDonald Franklin OSI Research Centre, Lawson Health Research InstituteMacDonald Franklin OSI Research Centre, Lawson Health Research InstituteMacDonald Franklin OSI Research Centre, Lawson Health Research InstituteMacDonald Franklin OSI Research Centre, Lawson Health Research InstituteSt. Joseph’s OSI Clinic, St. Joseph’s Health Care LondonSt. Joseph’s OSI Clinic, St. Joseph’s Health Care LondonMacDonald Franklin OSI Research Centre, Lawson Health Research InstituteAbstract Objective Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members and Veterans are more likely to experience mental health (MH) conditions, such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), than the general Canadian population. Previous research suggests that an increasing number of individuals are employing cannabis for MH symptom relief, despite a lack of robust evidence for its effectiveness in treating PTSD. This research aimed to: (1) describe the prevalence of current cannabis use among MH treatment-seeking CAF members and Veterans; and (2) estimate the association between current cannabis use and a number of sociodemographic, military, and MH-related characteristics. Method Using cross-sectional intake data from 415 CAF members and Veterans attending a specialized outpatient MH clinic in Ontario, Canada, between January 2018 and December 2020, we estimated the proportion of CAF members and Veterans who reported current cannabis use for either medical or recreational purposes. We used multivariable logistic regression to estimate adjusted odds ratios for a number of sociodemographic, military, and MH-related variables and current cannabis use. Results Almost half of the study participants (n = 187; 45.1%) reported current cannabis use. Respondents who reported current cannabis use for medical purposes had a higher median daily dose than those who reported current cannabis use for recreational purposes. The multivariable logistic regression identified younger age, lower income, potentially hazardous alcohol use, and increased bodily pain as statistically significant correlates of current cannabis use among our MH treatment-seeking sample. PTSD severity, depressive severity, sleep quality, and suicide ideation were not statistically associated with current cannabis use. Conclusions Almost half of our treatment-seeking sample reported current cannabis use for medical or recreational purposes, emphasizing the importance of screening MH treatment-seeking military members and Veterans for cannabis use prior to commencing treatment. Future research building upon this study could explore the potential impact of cannabis use on MH outcomes.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-023-05237-2CannabisMental healthMilitary personnelVeterans |
| spellingShingle | Kate St. Cyr Anthony Nazarov Tri Le Maede Nouri Priyonto Saha Callista A Forchuk Vanessa Soares Sonya G. Wanklyn Brian M. Bird Brent D. Davis Lisa King Felicia Ketcheson J. Don Richardson Correlates of cannabis use in a sample of mental health treatment-seeking Canadian armed forces members and veterans BMC Psychiatry Cannabis Mental health Military personnel Veterans |
| title | Correlates of cannabis use in a sample of mental health treatment-seeking Canadian armed forces members and veterans |
| title_full | Correlates of cannabis use in a sample of mental health treatment-seeking Canadian armed forces members and veterans |
| title_fullStr | Correlates of cannabis use in a sample of mental health treatment-seeking Canadian armed forces members and veterans |
| title_full_unstemmed | Correlates of cannabis use in a sample of mental health treatment-seeking Canadian armed forces members and veterans |
| title_short | Correlates of cannabis use in a sample of mental health treatment-seeking Canadian armed forces members and veterans |
| title_sort | correlates of cannabis use in a sample of mental health treatment seeking canadian armed forces members and veterans |
| topic | Cannabis Mental health Military personnel Veterans |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-023-05237-2 |
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