Boehnke Kevin F, Litinas Evangelos, Worthing Brianna, Conine Lisa, Kruger Daniel J
Anesthesiology Department, University of Michigan Medical School, 24 Frank Lloyd Wright Drive, Ann Arbor, MI, 48106, USA.
, Ann Arbor, USA.
J Cannabis Res. 2021 Jan 24;3(1):2. doi: 10.1186/s42238-021-00058-0.
People report using cannabis as a substitute for prescription medications but may be doing so without the knowledge of their primary health care providers (PCPs). This lack of integration creates serious concerns, e.g., using cannabis to treat medical conditions that have established treatment options.
We conducted an anonymous, cross-sectional online survey among patrons of a medical cannabis dispensary in Michigan (n = 275) to examine aspects of their relationship with their PCP and their perceptions of PCP knowledge related to cannabis.
Overall, 64% of participants initiated medical cannabis use based on their own experiences vs. 24% citing advice from their PCP. Although 80% reported that their PCP knew they currently used medical cannabis, 41% reported that their PCP had not always known. Only 14% obtained their medical cannabis authorization from their PCP. Only 18% of participants rated their PCP's knowledge about medical cannabis as very good or excellent and only 21% were very or completely confident in their PCP's ability to integrate medical cannabis into their treatment. Although 86% had substituted cannabis for pharmaceutical medications, 69% (n = 134) of those who substituted reported some gap in their PCP's knowledge of their substitution, and 44% (n = 86) reported that their PCP was currently unaware of their substitution.
Patients frequently substitute cannabis for prescription drugs, often without PCP knowledge. Although most participants disclosed cannabis use to their PCP, their perceptions of PCP knowledge ranged widely and many obtained medical cannabis licensure from an outside physician. Our results highlight the need for standardized physician education around appropriate medical cannabis use.
人们报告称使用大麻来替代处方药，但可能是在其初级医疗保健提供者（PCP）不知情的情况下这样做的。这种缺乏整合的情况引发了严重的担忧，例如使用大麻来治疗已有既定治疗方案的医疗状况。
我们在密歇根州一家医用大麻药房的顾客中开展了一项匿名的横断面在线调查（n = 275），以研究他们与PCP关系的各个方面以及他们对PCP关于大麻知识的看法。
总体而言，64%的参与者基于自身经历开始使用医用大麻，相比之下，24%的参与者称是听从了PCP的建议。尽管80%的参与者报告称他们的PCP知道他们目前在使用医用大麻，但41%的参与者报告称他们的PCP并非一直都知道。只有14%的参与者从他们的PCP处获得医用大麻授权。只有18%的参与者将他们PCP关于医用大麻的知识评为非常好或优秀，只有21%的参与者对他们的PCP将医用大麻纳入其治疗的能力非常有信心或完全有信心。尽管86%的参与者用大麻替代了药物，但在那些进行替代的人中，69%（n = 134）报告称他们的PCP在其替代方面的知识存在一些差距，44%（n = 86）报告称他们的PCP目前不知道他们的替代情况。
患者经常在PCP不知情的情况下用大麻替代处方药。尽管大多数参与者向他们的PCP透露了使用大麻的情况，但他们对PCP知识的看法差异很大，许多人是从外部医生那里获得医用大麻许可的。我们的结果凸显了围绕适当使用医用大麻进行标准化医生教育的必要性。
