Nonmedical versus medical marijuana use among three age groups of adults: Associations with mental and physical health status

Objective. Prior studies documenting more frequent and problematic use among young adults who have acquired medical marijuana (MM) cards have broadly compared those who use medically to those who use recreationally. Gaining a better picture of how health symptoms and problematic use vary both within those who have a MM card for specific condition domains and between those who do not have a MM card, can provide key information for medical practitioners and states interested in adopting or updating MM policies. Method. The current study categorizes young adults authorized to use MM into four mutually exclusive groups based on endorsements of qualifying conditions: (1) Physical Health only; (2) Mental Health only; (3) Sleep only; and (4) Multiple Conditions. Analysis of covariance examined differences across marijuana use, problems, mental and physical health, and sleep for MM condition categories, and for those that only use marijuana recreationally. Results. MM card holders, particularly those with physical health or multiple health conditions, reported heavier, more frequent, and more problematic and risky marijuana use compared to those using recreationally. Despite this pattern, those in different MM condition categories were generally not found to be more symptomatic in domains of functioning relevant to their respective conditions, compared to different category groups or to those using recreationally. Conclusions. Findings emphasize the importance of providers conducting a careful assessment of reasons for needing a card, along with use, to reduce potential harms while adding credibility to a medical movement with genuine promise of relief for many medical conditions.

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Loneliness and Mental Health: Recommendations for Primary Care Intakes

Journal of Primary Care & Community Health ◽

10.1177/21501327211027104 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

pp. 215013272110271

Author(s):

Marissa Godfrey ◽

Pi-Ju Liu ◽

Aining Wang ◽

Stacey Wood

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Status ◽

Physical Health ◽

Social Integration ◽

Health Survey ◽

Household Income ◽

Regression Models ◽

Physical Health Status ◽

Health Measures ◽

Mental And Physical Health

Introduction/Objectives The healthcare intake process plays a significant role in informing medical personnel about patients’ demographic information, subjective health status, and health complaints. Intake forms can help providers personalize care to assist patients in getting proper referrals and treatment. Previous studies examined factors that could be included in intake forms independently, but this study analyzed loneliness, religiousness, household income, and social integration together to see how the combined effect influences mental and physical health status. This study aims to determine which of those 4 variables better inform patients’ mental versus physical health status. Methods One hundred and seventy-nine participants completed surveys, including the SF-12® Health Survey, measuring perceived physical and mental health, UCLA 3-item Loneliness Scale, and a demographics questionnaire with questions about household income and time spent dedicated to religious practice, if applicable. Additionally, individuals answered social integration questions about how often they contact close family and friends or volunteer in the community. Using loneliness, household income, religiousness, social integration as independent variables, and controlling for demographic variables such as age, gender, and race, 2 regression models were built with Mental and Physical Health Composite Scores from the the SF-12® Health Survey as dependent variables. Results Loneliness was associated with mental health measures ( b = −2.190, P < .001), while household income was associated with physical health measures ( b = 0.604, P = .019) above and beyond other variables in the regression models. Conclusions Integrating the 3 loneliness questions into intake forms can help approximate an individual’s mental health status. This would allow the provider to be able to assess mental health problems more effectively and provide needed resources.

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Negative illness perceptions associated with low mental and physical health status in general hospital outpatients in China

Psychology Health & Medicine ◽

10.1080/13548506.2013.802358 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 19 (3) ◽

pp. 273-285 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Heng Wu ◽

Xudong Zhao ◽

Kurt Fritzsche ◽

Florian Salm ◽

Rainer Leonhart ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Status ◽

Physical Health ◽

General Hospital ◽

Illness Perceptions ◽

Physical Health Status ◽

Mental And Physical Health ◽

Hospital Outpatients

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Depression, Anxiety and Health Status in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/s0924-9338(09)71134-4 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 24 (S1) ◽

pp. 1-1

Author(s):

M. Chylova ◽

J.P. van Dijk ◽

J. Rosenberger ◽

I. Nagyova ◽

M. Gavelova ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Health Status ◽

Physical Health ◽

Functional Disability ◽

Age Groups ◽

Mental Health Status ◽

Depression And Anxiety ◽

Physical Health Status ◽

Physical And Mental Health

Aims:Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common cause of neurological disability in young adults and is frequently accompanied by symptoms of depression and anxiety. The aim of this study was to explore the association of depression and anxiety with health status in younger and older MS patients.Method:223 MS patients (67.3% female; mean age 38.9±10.8 years; mean disease duration 5.8±5.2 years) were divided into younger and older age groups (< 45 and ≥45 years). They completed questionnaires focusing on sociodemographic data, depression and anxiety (HADS), and physical and mental health status (SF-36). Functional disability (EDSS) was assessed by a neurologist. To analyse the data, a U-test and multiple linear regression analyses were performed.Results:A model consisting of age, gender, marital status, EDSS, depression and anxiety explained 46.6% of the variance in physical health status and 60.8% of the variance in mental health status (p≤.001). Depression was a significant predictor of physical health status in older MS patients and was associated with mental health status in both age groups (p≤0.001). Anxiety was related to worse physical and mental health status in younger MS patients, but not in the older ones.Conclusion:Depression in MS patients is associated with mental health status and with physical health status only in the older group; anxiety is associated only in younger MS patients with regard to their health status. Psychiatric diagnostics focusing on depression and anxiety might be important for treatment of MS patients in order to contribute to improving a patient's health status.

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