Table 2.
A comparison of demographic, clinical, and substance use variables based on cannabis use.
| Characteristic | Overall Sample (N = 371) |
Cannabis Use | p-value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No 85% (304) |
Yes 18% (67) |
|||
| Demographic | ||||
| Age in years, mean (SD) | 60.0 (11.0) | 60.5 (11.2) | 57.7 (9.6) | 0.062 |
| %(n) | %(n) | %(n) | ||
| Male | 54 (201) | 48 (147) | 81 (54) | <0.0001 |
| Caucasian | 83 (309) | 86 (262) | 70 (47) | 0.003 |
| Married | 58 (214) | 59 (179) | 52 (35) | 0.654 |
| Income < 30,000 | 29 (106) | 25 (75) | 46 (31) | 0.002 |
| Completed some college | 74 (276) | 74 (225) | 61 (41) | 0.404 |
| Employment | 0.074 | |||
| Retired | 38 (142) | 40 (122) | 30 (20) | |
| Working | 33 (124) | 34 (104) | 30 (20) | |
| Clinical | ||||
| Arthritis | 63 (235) | 65 (198) | 55 (37) | 0.128 |
| Back | 59 (218) | 58 (175) | 64 (43) | 0.320 |
| Neck/joint | 54 (202) | 55 (167) | 35 (52) | 0.688 |
| Median pain intensity (IQR) | 63.3 (53.3–73.3) | 63.3 (53.3–73.3) | 66.7 (56.7–73.3) | 0.459 |
| Median pain disability (IQR) | 50.0 (30.0–70.0) | 50.0 (30.0–70.0) | 53.3 (36.7–73.3) | 0.576 |
| Median opioid dose (MED mg/day; IQR) | 30.0 (15.0–45.0) | 30.0 (15.0–45.0) | 30.0 (15.0–46.7) | 0.450 |
| Median Depression (IQR) | 8.0 (5.0–13.0) | 8.0 (5.0–13.0) | 9.0 (5.0–15.0) | 0.282 |
| Comorbidity Index (IQR) | 4.0 (3.0–6.0) | 4.0 (3.0–6.0) | 4.0 (3.0–6.0) | 0.930 |
| Median Anxiety (IQR) | 5.0 (2.0–10.0) | 5.0 (2.0–10.0) | 6.0 (2.0–12.0) | 0.368 |
| Median QOL: Physical (IQR) | 32.3 (25.7–40.2) | 33.8 (26.7–41.1) | 30.3 (23.3–36.5) | 0.052 |
| Median QOL: Mental (IQR) | 52.3 (43.3–57.5) | 52.4 (43.8–58.1) | 52.1 (40.3–56.8) | 0.345 |
| Substance Use | ||||
| Current nicotine use, %(n) | 29 (108) | 26 (80) | 42 (28) | 0.012 |
| Median number of cigarettes (IQR)* | 10.0 (7–20) | 10.0 (6–15) | 16.8 (9–20) | 0.027 |
| Nicotine use less than 30 min. after waking, %(n)* | 45 (48) | 39 (31) | 61 (17) | 0.025 |
| Current hazardous alcohol use, %(n) | 16 (58) | 50 (16) | 17 (25) | 0.024 |
| Median risk for prescription opioid misuse (IQR) | 12.0 (7.0–18.0) | 11.5 (7.0–17.5) | 17.0 (12.0–21.0) | <0.0001 |
| Adverse Events | ||||
| Median pain treatment side effects (IQR) | 92.0 (78.0–97.0) | 92.0 (80.0–97.0) | 88.0 (77.0–95.0) | 0.035 |
| Fall in the past 3 months, %(n) | 27 (99) | 29 (87) | 18 (12) | 0.073 |
| Median number of falls in past 3 months (IQR)* | 2.0 (1.0–3.0) | 2.0 (1.0–3.0) | 1.5 (1.0–2.0) | 0.062 |
| Opioid overdose, %(n) | 0.5 (2) | 0.3 (1) | 1.5 (1) | 0.329 |
Note. Scores on the continuous variables were compared using the non-parametric Mann-Whitney U and are represented by median and interquartile range (IQR). Categorical variables are represented by n (%). MED = Morphine Equivalent Dose; QOL = Quality of Life.
*
Median (IQR) for number of cigarettes and percent of individuals who endorsed nicotine use within 30 minutes of waking only calculated for those who endorsed smoking. Median (IQR) for number of falls only calculated for those who endorsed falling.