The association between cannabis use and suicidal behavior in patients with psychiatric disorders: an analysis of sex differences
Abstract Background Cannabis is the most commonly used illicit drug. In the general population, its use has been linked to a heightened propensity for suicidal behavior (SB). We hypothesize that this association varies in patients with psychiatric disorders. SB is known to vary by sex and therefore...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2018-06-01
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| Series: | Biology of Sex Differences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13293-018-0182-x |
| _version_ | 1819171454496800768 |
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| author | Leen Naji Tea Rosic Brittany Dennis Meha Bhatt Nitika Sanger Jackie Hudson Natalia Mouravska Lehana Thabane Zainab Samaan |
| author_facet | Leen Naji Tea Rosic Brittany Dennis Meha Bhatt Nitika Sanger Jackie Hudson Natalia Mouravska Lehana Thabane Zainab Samaan |
| author_sort | Leen Naji |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Cannabis is the most commonly used illicit drug. In the general population, its use has been linked to a heightened propensity for suicidal behavior (SB). We hypothesize that this association varies in patients with psychiatric disorders. SB is known to vary by sex and therefore an investigation of cannabis’ association with SB must consider sex differences. The purpose of this study is to investigate the association between cannabis use and suicide attempts in men and women with psychiatric disorders. Methods We merged data collected for two studies based in Ontario, Canada (n = 985). We employed a multivariable logistic regression to assess the association between cannabis use and suicide attempts in men and women with psychiatric disorders. Results We analyzed data from 465 men and 444 women. Amongst these, 112 men and 158 women had attempted suicide. The average age of our participants was 40 years (standard deviation (SD) 12.4). We found no significant association between suicide attempts and cannabis use in men (odds ratio (OR) = 1.34, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.81, 2.22, p = 0.260) or women (OR = 0.97, 95% CI 0.61, 1.54, p = 0.884). In a sensitivity analysis using a sample of patients with substance use disorder only, the heaviness of cannabis use was associated with small but significant association with SB in men (OR = 1.03, 95% CI 1.01, 1.05, p = 0.007). Conclusion Our findings indicate that there is no association between cannabis use and suicidal behavior in men or women with psychiatric disorders unlike what was reported for the general population, though the heaviness of cannabis use may have an effect in men. The impact of cannabis use in psychiatric disorders needs ongoing examination in light of its common use, impending legalization with expected increased access and the uncertainty about cannabis’ effects on prognosis of psychiatric disorders. In addition, research should continue to investigate modifiable risk factors of SB in this population of which cannabis is not a significant factor based on this study. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T19:51:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b5bf81d2b36c402d981a5157e092d329 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2042-6410 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T19:51:33Z |
| publishDate | 2018-06-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Biology of Sex Differences |
| spelling | doaj.art-b5bf81d2b36c402d981a5157e092d3292022-12-21T18:14:32ZengBMCBiology of Sex Differences2042-64102018-06-01911810.1186/s13293-018-0182-xThe association between cannabis use and suicidal behavior in patients with psychiatric disorders: an analysis of sex differencesLeen Naji0Tea Rosic1Brittany Dennis2Meha Bhatt3Nitika Sanger4Jackie Hudson5Natalia Mouravska6Lehana Thabane7Zainab Samaan8Department of Family Medicine, McMaster UniversityDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, McMaster UniversitySt. George’s University of LondonDepartment of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster UniversityMedical Science Graduate Program, McMaster UniversityDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, McMaster UniversityHamilton Health SciencesDepartment of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster UniversityDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, McMaster UniversityAbstract Background Cannabis is the most commonly used illicit drug. In the general population, its use has been linked to a heightened propensity for suicidal behavior (SB). We hypothesize that this association varies in patients with psychiatric disorders. SB is known to vary by sex and therefore an investigation of cannabis’ association with SB must consider sex differences. The purpose of this study is to investigate the association between cannabis use and suicide attempts in men and women with psychiatric disorders. Methods We merged data collected for two studies based in Ontario, Canada (n = 985). We employed a multivariable logistic regression to assess the association between cannabis use and suicide attempts in men and women with psychiatric disorders. Results We analyzed data from 465 men and 444 women. Amongst these, 112 men and 158 women had attempted suicide. The average age of our participants was 40 years (standard deviation (SD) 12.4). We found no significant association between suicide attempts and cannabis use in men (odds ratio (OR) = 1.34, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.81, 2.22, p = 0.260) or women (OR = 0.97, 95% CI 0.61, 1.54, p = 0.884). In a sensitivity analysis using a sample of patients with substance use disorder only, the heaviness of cannabis use was associated with small but significant association with SB in men (OR = 1.03, 95% CI 1.01, 1.05, p = 0.007). Conclusion Our findings indicate that there is no association between cannabis use and suicidal behavior in men or women with psychiatric disorders unlike what was reported for the general population, though the heaviness of cannabis use may have an effect in men. The impact of cannabis use in psychiatric disorders needs ongoing examination in light of its common use, impending legalization with expected increased access and the uncertainty about cannabis’ effects on prognosis of psychiatric disorders. In addition, research should continue to investigate modifiable risk factors of SB in this population of which cannabis is not a significant factor based on this study.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13293-018-0182-xCannabisSuicideSex differencesPsychiatric disorder |
| spellingShingle | Leen Naji Tea Rosic Brittany Dennis Meha Bhatt Nitika Sanger Jackie Hudson Natalia Mouravska Lehana Thabane Zainab Samaan The association between cannabis use and suicidal behavior in patients with psychiatric disorders: an analysis of sex differences Biology of Sex Differences Cannabis Suicide Sex differences Psychiatric disorder |
| title | The association between cannabis use and suicidal behavior in patients with psychiatric disorders: an analysis of sex differences |
| title_full | The association between cannabis use and suicidal behavior in patients with psychiatric disorders: an analysis of sex differences |
| title_fullStr | The association between cannabis use and suicidal behavior in patients with psychiatric disorders: an analysis of sex differences |
| title_full_unstemmed | The association between cannabis use and suicidal behavior in patients with psychiatric disorders: an analysis of sex differences |
| title_short | The association between cannabis use and suicidal behavior in patients with psychiatric disorders: an analysis of sex differences |
| title_sort | association between cannabis use and suicidal behavior in patients with psychiatric disorders an analysis of sex differences |
| topic | Cannabis Suicide Sex differences Psychiatric disorder |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13293-018-0182-x |
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