Poverty matters: Cannabis use among people with serious mental illness: Findings from the United States survey on drug use and health, 2015

Int J Soc Psychiatry. 2018 Nov;64(7):656-659. doi: 10.1177/0020764018795213. Epub 2018 Aug 22.

Abstract

Background:: Little is known about the influence of contextual characteristics on comorbid substance use and serious mental illness (SMI).

Aims:: To explore the role of poverty on comorbid SMI and cannabis use.

Methods:: We used data from the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, considering those in poverty, with income under 100% of the US poverty threshold.

Results:: People in poverty were more likely to suffer from concurrent SMI and cannabis use (3.07%, 95% confidence interval (CI):1.84%; 5.07%), even controlling for gender, age, tobacco and alcohol use (odds ratio (OR) = 2.77, 95% CI: 1.27; 6.03, p = .010).

Conclusion:: The magnitude of the association between SMI and cannabis use is influenced by poverty status. More research on potential mediators like income inequality and impoverished social capital is needed.

Keywords: Severe mental disorders; cannabis; national survey; poverty.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Cannabis
  • Comorbidity
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Income
  • Logistic Models
  • Male
  • Marijuana Smoking*
  • Mental Disorders / epidemiology*
  • Middle Aged
  • Poverty / statistics & numerical data*
  • Substance-Related Disorders / epidemiology*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • United States / epidemiology
  • Young Adult