Cannabis and cannabidiol use among autistic and non-autistic adults in the UK: a propensity score-matched analysis
Objectives To assess whether autistic and non-autistic adults differ in their cannabis and cannabidiol (CBD) use, their perceptions of cannabinoid products and their cannabinoid-related support-seeking behaviours.Design Cross-sectional survey.Participants Respondents to an online survey, who self-re...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMJ Publishing Group
2021-12-01
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| Series: | BMJ Open |
| Online Access: | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/11/12/e053814.full |
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| author | Tom P Freeman Daniel Ying-Heng Hua Rachel Lees Mark Brosnan |
| author_facet | Tom P Freeman Daniel Ying-Heng Hua Rachel Lees Mark Brosnan |
| author_sort | Tom P Freeman |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objectives To assess whether autistic and non-autistic adults differ in their cannabis and cannabidiol (CBD) use, their perceptions of cannabinoid products and their cannabinoid-related support-seeking behaviours.Design Cross-sectional survey.Participants Respondents to an online survey, who self-reported an autism-spectrum disorder diagnosis (autistic participants) or no issues relating to autism (controls). Exclusion criteria were: related/subclinical issues relating to autism, non-UK residence, under 16 years old. Propensity score matching was used to match autistic participants and controls on age, gender and ethnicity. The full-sample analysis included 269 participants and the propensity-matched sample analysis included 166 participants. Propensity-matched analysis was used for primary analysis and was considered robust if supported by triangulation with full-sample analysis.Results Autistic participants were more likely to have used CBD in the past 12 months compared with controls (OR=3.52, 95% CI 1.57 to 7.87, p=0.002). They used CBD on more days in the past 12 months (M=34, SD=93) compared with controls (M=17, SD=69, p=0.002). Autistic participants reported trusting the news and doctors less as sources of cannabinoid-related information than controls (p=0.024 and p=0.003, respectively). Autistic participants endorsed the following barriers to cannabinoid-related support seeking more than controls: ‘worrying they won’t understand me’ (OR=3.25, 95% CI 1.67 to 6.33, p<0.001), ‘going somewhere unfamiliar’ (OR=5.29, 95% CI 2.62 to 10.67, p<0.001) and ‘being in a crowded or chaotic place’ (OR=9.79, 95% CI 4.18 to 22.89, p<0.001).Conclusion Results indicate a higher prevalence and frequency of CBD use, but not cannabis use, among autistic individuals compared with controls. Findings also suggest appropriate methods to disseminate cannabinoid-related support to autistic individuals, and indicate differences in the potential barriers autistic and non-autistic individuals may face when seeking cannabinoid-related support. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-518f9e5f4da047a0b63baf9f80f47eb0 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2044-6055 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMJ Open |
| spelling | doaj-art-518f9e5f4da047a0b63baf9f80f47eb02024-12-10T07:45:13ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552021-12-01111210.1136/bmjopen-2021-053814Cannabis and cannabidiol use among autistic and non-autistic adults in the UK: a propensity score-matched analysisTom P Freeman0Daniel Ying-Heng Hua1Rachel Lees2Mark Brosnan3Addiction and Mental Health Group (AIM), Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UKAddiction and Mental Health Group (AIM), Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UKAddiction and Mental Health Group (AIM), Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UKCentre for Applied Autism Research, Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UKObjectives To assess whether autistic and non-autistic adults differ in their cannabis and cannabidiol (CBD) use, their perceptions of cannabinoid products and their cannabinoid-related support-seeking behaviours.Design Cross-sectional survey.Participants Respondents to an online survey, who self-reported an autism-spectrum disorder diagnosis (autistic participants) or no issues relating to autism (controls). Exclusion criteria were: related/subclinical issues relating to autism, non-UK residence, under 16 years old. Propensity score matching was used to match autistic participants and controls on age, gender and ethnicity. The full-sample analysis included 269 participants and the propensity-matched sample analysis included 166 participants. Propensity-matched analysis was used for primary analysis and was considered robust if supported by triangulation with full-sample analysis.Results Autistic participants were more likely to have used CBD in the past 12 months compared with controls (OR=3.52, 95% CI 1.57 to 7.87, p=0.002). They used CBD on more days in the past 12 months (M=34, SD=93) compared with controls (M=17, SD=69, p=0.002). Autistic participants reported trusting the news and doctors less as sources of cannabinoid-related information than controls (p=0.024 and p=0.003, respectively). Autistic participants endorsed the following barriers to cannabinoid-related support seeking more than controls: ‘worrying they won’t understand me’ (OR=3.25, 95% CI 1.67 to 6.33, p<0.001), ‘going somewhere unfamiliar’ (OR=5.29, 95% CI 2.62 to 10.67, p<0.001) and ‘being in a crowded or chaotic place’ (OR=9.79, 95% CI 4.18 to 22.89, p<0.001).Conclusion Results indicate a higher prevalence and frequency of CBD use, but not cannabis use, among autistic individuals compared with controls. Findings also suggest appropriate methods to disseminate cannabinoid-related support to autistic individuals, and indicate differences in the potential barriers autistic and non-autistic individuals may face when seeking cannabinoid-related support.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/11/12/e053814.full |
| spellingShingle | Tom P Freeman Daniel Ying-Heng Hua Rachel Lees Mark Brosnan Cannabis and cannabidiol use among autistic and non-autistic adults in the UK: a propensity score-matched analysis BMJ Open |
| title | Cannabis and cannabidiol use among autistic and non-autistic adults in the UK: a propensity score-matched analysis |
| title_full | Cannabis and cannabidiol use among autistic and non-autistic adults in the UK: a propensity score-matched analysis |
| title_fullStr | Cannabis and cannabidiol use among autistic and non-autistic adults in the UK: a propensity score-matched analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cannabis and cannabidiol use among autistic and non-autistic adults in the UK: a propensity score-matched analysis |
| title_short | Cannabis and cannabidiol use among autistic and non-autistic adults in the UK: a propensity score-matched analysis |
| title_sort | cannabis and cannabidiol use among autistic and non autistic adults in the uk a propensity score matched analysis |
| url | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/11/12/e053814.full |
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