A mixed-methods study of older adults in California found significant reluctance to disclose medical cannabis use to healthcare providers, driven by stigma and fear of judgment despite legal status.
Geriatricians, primary care providers, medical cannabis programs, and older adults who use cannabis.
Significant non-disclosure of medical cannabis use among older adults despite legal status
What the researchers found
Older adults frequently did not disclose medical cannabis use to their primary care providers. Barriers included stigma, fear of judgment, perceived provider disapproval, and uncertainty about how disclosure would affect their care.
Why it matters
Non-disclosure of cannabis use creates safety risks, especially for older adults on multiple medications. If providers do not know about cannabis use, they cannot monitor for drug interactions or adjust treatment plans.
The numbers in context
California older adults surveyed and interviewed. Significant non-disclosure of medical cannabis use to primary care providers identified.
How the study worked
Mixed methods study (quantitative survey and qualitative interviews) investigating older adults' cannabis use behaviors and attitudes around disclosing medical cannabis use to healthcare providers in California.
What this study cannot tell us
California-specific findings in a legal state. Older adults willing to participate in research about cannabis may differ from non-participants. Self-report of disclosure behavior. Mixed methods provides depth but limited generalizability.
How to read the evidence
Mixed-methods study providing both quantitative and qualitative data. Limited by self-selection and single-state focus.
When this study was published
Published 2023.
The bigger picture
The stigma gap between legal status and social acceptance means many patients keep cannabis use private from the very providers who need to know. This undermines patient safety and prevents informed clinical decision-making.
Questions still open
- Would provider-initiated cannabis screening in a non-judgmental framework improve disclosure rates? Do older adults in newly legalized states disclose less than those in long-legalized states?
Common questions
Should I tell my doctor I use cannabis?
Why do older adults hide cannabis use from doctors?
Read the original research
Older Adults' Use of Cannabis and Attitudes Around Disclosing Medical Cannabis Use to Their Healthcare Providers in California: A Mixed Methods Study.
Drugs - real world outcomes, 11(4), 647-658
Citation
Abu Baker, Dania; Cruz Rivera, Paola N; Narasimhan, Rekha; Nguyen, Nhi; Tibiriçá, Lize; Kepner, Wayne E; O'Malley, Pearse; Nguyen, Annie L; Moore, Alison A. (2024). Older Adults' Use of Cannabis and Attitudes Around Disclosing Medical Cannabis Use to Their Healthcare Providers in California: A Mixed Methods Study.. Drugs - real world outcomes, 11(4), 647-658. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40801-024-00451-0
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