Changes in health-related quality of life over the first three months of medical marijuana use

Summary & key facts

This prospective observational study followed 438 adults who were new medical‑marijuana patients in Pennsylvania. Using the SF‑36 survey, participants reported statistically significant improvements in all eight areas of health‑related quality of life from before starting medical marijuana to three months later (P < .001 for all domains). Older participants showed smaller improvements in physical functioning, role limitations due to physical health, and pain than younger participants.

Key facts:

• Sample analyzed at three months: 438 participants (14 of 452 enrolled withdrew before the three‑month assessment).
• Mean age was 46.4 years (SD = 15.6).
• 66.4% of the sample identified as female.
• The most common reasons for the medical‑marijuana recommendation were anxiety disorders (61.9%) and severe chronic or intractable pain (53.6%).
• Health‑related quality of life was measured with the SF‑36, which gives scores from 0 (worst) to 100 (best); the SF‑36 was collected at baseline (before starting medical marijuana) and again at three months (±2 weeks).
• Participants showed rapid and statistically significant improvements in all eight SF‑36 domains (physical functioning, role limitations due to physical health, emotional well‑being, role limitations due to emotional problems, bodily pain, s
• After controlling for baseline scores, older age predicted smaller improvement over three months in physical functioning (P < .0001), role limitations due to physical health problems (P < .001), and pain (P < .0001).
• Study design: prospective, observational, longitudinal (not randomized). This means the study reports changes over time but cannot by itself prove that medical marijuana caused those changes.
• Enrollment details: 1,314 new medical‑marijuana patients were approached from September 2020 to June 2023; 452 (34.4%) enrolled and completed baseline; 438 completed the three‑month follow‑up.
• Key limitations noted by the study design and sample: short follow‑up period (three months), observational design, and recruitment from four dispensaries in the greater Harrisburg and Pittsburgh, PA areas, which may limit how widely the res

Topics

Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research Homelessness and Social Issues Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology

Categories

Health Sciences Medicine Pharmacology

Tags

Anxiety Longitudinal study Medicine Nursing Observational study Pathology Physical therapy Psychiatry Psychosocial Quality of life (healthcare)