Cannabis-using schizophrenia patients in Asia showed more aggressive behavior
Among Asian patients with schizophrenia, lifetime cannabis use was independently associated with aggressive behavior and was linked to preferential use of long-acting injectable antipsychotics.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
After adjusting for multiple variables, lifetime cannabis use in Asian schizophrenia patients was independently associated with aggressive behavior (aOR 1.58, 95% CI 1.01-2.49) and with long-acting injectable antipsychotic treatment (aOR 1.80, 95% CI 1.44-2.82).
Key Numbers
132 cannabis users vs. 1,756 non-users. Aggressive behavior aOR: 1.58 (95% CI 1.01-2.49, p=.047). Long-acting injectable antipsychotic use aOR: 1.80 (95% CI 1.44-2.82, p=.001).
How They Did This
Cross-sectional analysis of the REAP-AP consortium survey, which collected psychotropic prescription patterns from Asian schizophrenia patients. Compared 132 lifetime cannabis users with 1,756 non-users using binary logistic regression, adjusting for age, sex, region, income, duration of untreated psychosis, and comorbidity.
Why This Research Matters
Most cannabis-psychosis research comes from Western populations. This large multi-country Asian dataset provides evidence that the cannabis-aggression link in schizophrenia extends across cultural contexts.
The Bigger Picture
The finding that cannabis-using patients were more likely to receive long-acting injectable antipsychotics suggests clinicians may be responding to treatment adherence or behavioral management challenges associated with cannabis use.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Cross-sectional design cannot establish causation. Cannabis use was based on lifetime self-report. The cannabis-using group was much smaller than the non-using group. Cultural factors around cannabis use in Asia may limit generalizability.
Questions This Raises
- ?Is cannabis causing the aggressive behavior, or are more aggressive patients more likely to seek out cannabis?
- ?Does cannabis cessation reduce aggressive episodes?
- ?Why are long-acting injectables preferentially used in this group?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 1.58x higher odds of aggressive behavior with cannabis use
- Evidence Grade:
- Moderate: large multi-country consortium with appropriate statistical controls, but cross-sectional design.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2019.
- Original Title:
- Cannabis use correlates with aggressive behavior and long-acting injectable antipsychotic treatment in Asian patients with schizophrenia.
- Published In:
- Nordic journal of psychiatry, 73(6), 323-330 (2019)
- Authors:
- Park, Seon-Cheol, Oh, Hong Seok, Tripathi, Adarsh, Kallivayalil, Roy Abraham, Avasthi, Ajit, Grover, Sandeep, Tanra, Andi Jayalangkara, Kanba, Shigenobu, Kato, Takahiro A, Inada, Toshiya, Chee, Kok Yoon, Chong, Mian-Yoon, Lin, Shih-Ku, Sim, Kang, Xiang, Yu-Tao, Tan, Chay Hoon, Javed, Afzal, Sartorius, Norman, Shinfuku, Naotaka, Park, Yong Chon
- Database ID:
- RTHC-02218
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Does this prove cannabis causes aggression in schizophrenia?
No. The study found an association between lifetime cannabis use and aggressive behavior, but the cross-sectional design cannot determine which came first or prove causation.
What are long-acting injectable antipsychotics?
These are antipsychotic medications given as injections every few weeks instead of daily pills. They are often used when medication adherence is a concern.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-02218APA
Park, Seon-Cheol; Oh, Hong Seok; Tripathi, Adarsh; Kallivayalil, Roy Abraham; Avasthi, Ajit; Grover, Sandeep; Tanra, Andi Jayalangkara; Kanba, Shigenobu; Kato, Takahiro A; Inada, Toshiya; Chee, Kok Yoon; Chong, Mian-Yoon; Lin, Shih-Ku; Sim, Kang; Xiang, Yu-Tao; Tan, Chay Hoon; Javed, Afzal; Sartorius, Norman; Shinfuku, Naotaka; Park, Yong Chon. (2019). Cannabis use correlates with aggressive behavior and long-acting injectable antipsychotic treatment in Asian patients with schizophrenia.. Nordic journal of psychiatry, 73(6), 323-330. https://doi.org/10.1080/08039488.2019.1632381
MLA
Park, Seon-Cheol, et al. "Cannabis use correlates with aggressive behavior and long-acting injectable antipsychotic treatment in Asian patients with schizophrenia.." Nordic journal of psychiatry, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1080/08039488.2019.1632381
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Cannabis use correlates with aggressive behavior and long-ac..." RTHC-02218. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/park-2019-cannabis-use-correlates-with
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.