Cannabis psychosis, gender matters
I. Hamilton, P. Galdas, H. Essex
European Psychiatry March 1, 2016 DOI: 10.1016/j.eurpsy.2016.01.1359 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | People with cannabis psychosis in the UK |
| Topics | Cannabis |
| Key findings | Male cannabis users outnumber female users by 2:1, but for cannabis psychosis admissions the ratio increases to 4:1. |
Abstract
IntroductionDespite recent findings pointing toward cannabis psychosis as one area where gender differences may exist, there has been a widespread lack of attention paid to gender as a determinant of health in both psychiatric services and within the field of addiction.ObjectivesTo explore gender differences in treatment presentations for people with cannabis psychosis.AimsTo use national data sets to investigate gender differences.MethodsAnalysis of British Crime Survey data and a Hospital Episode Statistics data set were used in combination with data from previously published epidemiological studies to compare gender differences.ResultsMale cannabis users outnumber female users by 2:1, a similar gender ratio is found for those admitted to hospital with a diagnosis of schizophrenia or psychosis. However this ratio increases significantly for those admitted to hospital with a diagnosis of cannabis psychosis, with males outnumbering females by 4:1.ConclusionsThis research brings into focus the marked gender differences in cannabis psychosis. Attending to gender is important for research and treatment with the aim of improving understanding and providing gender sensitive services.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on cannabis, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| High-potency cannabis and the risk of psychosis People with first episode of psychosis and healthy controls from the local population | 2009 | Case-control study | n = 454 |
| Ayahuasca-Assisted Therapy for Addiction: Results from a Preliminary Observational Study in Canada Rural aboriginal population | 2013 | Observational study | |
| Impaired cognitive performance in drug free users of recreational ecstasy (MDMA) Otherwise healthy young people | 2000 | Observational | |
| Continued cannabis use and risk of incidence and persistence of psychotic symptoms: 10 year follow-up cohort study Individuals from the general population in Germany aged 14-24 at baseline | 2011 | Observational cohort | n = 1,923 |
| Cannabis-induced psychosis and subsequent schizophrenia-spectrum disorders: follow-up study of 535 incident cases Patients treated for cannabis-induced psychotic symptoms in Denmark between 1994 and... | 2005 | Observational cohort | n = 535 |