Older Women With HIV Used Cannabis More for Appetite and Energy Than Women Without HIV
Older women with HIV reported using cannabis more often for appetite stimulation and energy enhancement compared to HIV-negative women, though both groups shifted from recreational to therapeutic use over time.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Both groups used cannabis for psychological distress, pain, sleep, and reducing other substance use. Women with HIV additionally reported greater mental health burden and used cannabis for appetite and energy. Across both groups, motivations shifted over time from social to therapeutic purposes. Most felt comfortable telling their doctors about cannabis use.
Key Numbers
30 participants (20 with HIV, 10 without); women with HIV reported greater mental health symptom burden; both groups shifted from social to therapeutic motivations over time; most comfortable disclosing cannabis use to providers; participants expressed distrust about legalization and product safety
How They Did This
Qualitative interviews with 30 participants (20 women with HIV, 10 without) enrolled in the MACS/WIHS Combined Cohort Study, analyzed using the Social Ecological Model framework.
Why This Research Matters
Older women with HIV face unique health challenges including medication side effects, chronic pain, and appetite loss. Understanding their specific motivations for cannabis use can help clinicians provide more relevant guidance rather than generic advice.
The Bigger Picture
As both the HIV-positive population and cannabis-using population age, clinicians will increasingly encounter older women managing chronic conditions with cannabis. This study highlights that their needs and motivations differ from the general population.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Small qualitative sample (30 women), not generalizable to all older women or all people with HIV, self-selected participants may be more open about cannabis use, single geographic region
Questions This Raises
- ?Would a larger quantitative study confirm the HIV-specific motivations for cannabis use?
- ?How should clinicians address the expressed distrust about product safety?
- ?Could cannabis reduce the need for some HIV-related symptom medications?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Women with HIV cited appetite stimulation and energy enhancement as unique cannabis motivations
- Evidence Grade:
- Small qualitative study with 30 participants from one cohort; provides rich detail but limited generalizability
- Study Age:
- Published 2025
- Original Title:
- Beyond the high: exploring socioecological influences on cannabis use in older women with and without HIV.
- Published In:
- The Gerontologist, 65(12) (2025)
- Authors:
- Bobitt, Julie(8), Franceschini, Dana(2), Hernandez-Vallant, Alexandra, Afridi, Masooma, Ross, Ryan D, Daubert, Elizabeth, Cohen, Mardge H, French, Audrey L
- Database ID:
- RTHC-06083
Evidence Hierarchy
Uses interviews or focus groups to understand experiences in depth.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Why do older women with HIV use cannabis differently?
Women with HIV reported using cannabis specifically for appetite stimulation and energy enhancement on top of the pain, sleep, and mental health reasons shared by both groups, likely reflecting HIV-specific symptom burdens.
Do older women tell their doctors about cannabis use?
Most women in this study felt comfortable disclosing cannabis use to their medical providers, though many expressed distrust about cannabis legalization and product safety.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-06083APA
Bobitt, Julie; Franceschini, Dana; Hernandez-Vallant, Alexandra; Afridi, Masooma; Ross, Ryan D; Daubert, Elizabeth; Cohen, Mardge H; French, Audrey L. (2025). Beyond the high: exploring socioecological influences on cannabis use in older women with and without HIV.. The Gerontologist, 65(12). https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnaf250
MLA
Bobitt, Julie, et al. "Beyond the high: exploring socioecological influences on cannabis use in older women with and without HIV.." The Gerontologist, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnaf250
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Beyond the high: exploring socioecological influences on can..." RTHC-06083. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/bobitt-2025-beyond-the-high-exploring
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.