Endometriosis and Cannabis Consumption During the COVID-19 Pandemic: An International Cross-Sectional Survey

Armour, Mike; Sinclair, Justin; Cheng, Junipearl; Davis, Preston; Hameed, Aaish; Meegahapola, Harini; Rajashekar, Krithika; Suresh, Sunethra; Proudfoot, Andrew; Leonardi, Mathew

doi:10.1089/can.2021.0162

Cited by 15 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 63 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Whilst generalizability is not the intended goal within this analysis,[64] scores for the Pelvic Pain Impact Questionnaire were comparable to previous endometriosis studies. [26,29] Similarly, the Endometriosis Health Pro le-30 scores of study participants were analogous to a recent international survey [27] of over 1600 responses from 46 countries, suggesting the present participants experienced levels of impact similar to those in the wider endometriosis population.…”

Section: Strengths and Limitationssupporting

confidence: 68%

“…(AUS-36+; P5) Category 5: "Substitution effect" Participants described their experiences using legal and non-legal cannabis for their endometriosis symptoms and how this decreased their regular pharmaceutical medication usage. Decreases in opioid, antidepressant, non-steroidal anti-in ammatory, anti-neuropathic, hormonal and anxiolytic medication has been previously described in the literature [5,26,27,29,30] for those using cannabis for endometriosis, but there has been a paucity of qualitative data on this topic. Conversely, some participants expressed concern that using cannabis may change the way their other medications work, which was an important consideration for many.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The majority of those with endometriosis report the use of illicit cannabis, even in countries with legal access. [27,30] Therefore, whilst patient uptake of legal cannabis is growing across both countries, what is currently unclear is why those with endometriosis are still commonly choosing to use illicit sources of cannabis.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[20][21][22][23][24][25] Previous research has demonstrated that both legal and illicit cannabis is being utilised by endometriosis patients to not only manage pain, but also ameliorate other challenging co-morbid symptoms such as nausea, fatigue, poor sleep, mood disorders and gastrointestinal issues. [5,[26][27][28][29][30] Australia legalised medicinal cannabis in 2016, with Special Access Scheme (Category B) prescription numbers reaching 268,986 as of July 15th, 2022. [31] New Zealand adopted the Medicinal Cannabis Scheme in July of 2020, with both countries opting for strict regulatory controls and high quality standards for dispensed medicinal cannabis products.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

“A glimmer of hope” - Perceptions, barriers, and drivers for medicinal cannabis use amongst Australian and New Zealand people with endometriosis: A qualitative study.

Sinclair

Abbott²,

Mikocka‐Walus

et al. 2022

Preprint

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Previous quantitative research has shown that cannabis use, mostly illicit, is used for symptom management amongst those with endometriosis living in Australia or New Zealand, but the drivers and barriers for use of legal, medicinal cannabis in this population are currently unclear. This study sought to investigate, via online focus-groups, the perceptions, barriers, drivers, and experiences associated with cannabis use, whether legal or illicit, amongst 37 Australians and New Zealanders, aged 18–55, with a medical diagnosis of endometriosis. Previous cannabis usage was not required to participate. Discussion topics included strategies employed to manage symptoms, exploration of current medications, previous use of cannabis for pain management, and interest in using medicinal cannabis as a management strategy. Barriers to medicinal cannabis were also explored. Audio was recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using a content analysis approach. Of the 37 participants, 73% had used cannabis previously, either recreationally, for symptom management or both. Participants with moderate to severe symptoms of medically diagnosed endometriosis reported inadequacies with their current medical and self-management strategies and were inclined to try medicinal cannabis, both as part of their medical management and as part of a clinical trial. Barriers to medicinal cannabis adoption identified in this cohort included high costs of legal cannabis products, lack of clarity and fairness in current roadside drug testing laws and workplace drug testing policies, concern over the impact of stigma affecting familial, social and workplace life domains, and subsequent judgement and the lack of education/engagement from their medical providers regarding cannabis use. Given the interest in medicinal cannabis and the reported lack of effective symptom management, clinical trials are urgently required to determine the potential role that medicinal cannabis may play in reducing the symptoms of endometriosis.

show abstract

Section: Strengths and Limitationssupporting

confidence: 68%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

“A glimmer of hope” - Perceptions, barriers, and drivers for medicinal cannabis use amongst Australian and New Zealand people with endometriosis: A qualitative study.

Sinclair

Abbott²,

Mikocka‐Walus

et al. 2022

Preprint

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Endometriosis is one of the most frequent benign gynecological conditions diagnosed in premenopausal women, with an estimated world-wide prevalence ranging from 16–20% [ 1 ]. Millions of these patients are thought to have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic [ 2 ], and estimates suggest that 6.2% of them were infected with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) [ 3 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Endometriosis and COVID-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Kabani

Ramos-Niño

Ramdass

2022

IJMS

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Endometriosis is defined as ectopic endometrial tissues dispersed outside the endometrium. This can cause disruption in hormonal and immunological processes, which may increase susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Worsening of endometriosis symptoms may occur as a result of this infection. The aim of our review was to estimate the pooled prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection and the health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in endometriosis patients. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis. MEDLINE, Science Direct, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases were searched, using the keywords: (endometriosis) AND (COVID-19 OR SARS-CoV-2). Forest plots and pooled estimates were created using the Open Meta Analyst software. After screening 474 articles, 19 studies met the eligibility criteria for the systematic review, and 15 studies were included in the meta-analyses. A total of 17,799 patients were analyzed. The pooled prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in endometriosis patients was 7.5%. Pooled estimates for the health impacts were 47.2% for decreased access to medical care, 49.3% increase in dysmenorrhea, 75% increase in anxiety, 59.4% increase in depression, and 68.9% increase in fatigue. Endometriosis patients were undeniably impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused the worsening of symptoms such as dysmenorrhea, pelvic pain, anxiety, depression, and fatigue.

show abstract

The Place of Cannabinoids in the Treatment of Gynecological Pain

Sinclair,

Abbott,

Proudfoot

et al. 2023

Drugs

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Cannabis sativa (L), a plant with an extensive history of medicinal usage across numerous cultures, has received increased attention over recent years for its therapeutic potential for gynecological disorders such as endometriosis, chronic pelvic pain, and primary dysmenorrhea, due at least in part to shortcomings with current management options. Despite this growing interest, cannabis inhabits an unusual position in the modern medical pharmacopoeia, being a legal medicine, legal recreational drug, and an illicit drug, depending on jurisdiction. To date, the majority of studies investigating cannabis use have found that most people are using illicit cannabis, with numerous obstacles to medical cannabis adoption having been identified, including outdated drug-driving laws, workplace drug testing policies, the cost of quality-assured medical cannabis products, a lack of cannabis education for healthcare professionals, and significant and persistent stigma. Although currently lacking robust clinical trial data, a growing evidence base of retrospective data, cohort studies, and surveys does support potential use in gynecological pain conditions, with most evidence focusing on endometriosis. Cannabis consumers report substantial reductions in pelvic pain, as well as common comorbid symptoms such as gastrointestinal disturbances, mood disorders such as anxiety and depression, and poor sleep. Substitution effects were reported, with >50% reduction or cessation in opioid and/or non-opioid analgesics being the most common. However, a substantial minority report not disclosing cannabis consumption to their health professional. Therefore, while such deprescribing trends are potentially beneficial, the importance of medical supervision during this process is paramount given the possibility for withdrawal symptoms.

show abstract

Endometriosis and Cannabis Consumption During the COVID-19 Pandemic: An International Cross-Sectional Survey

Cited by 15 publications

References 63 publications

“A glimmer of hope” - Perceptions, barriers, and drivers for medicinal cannabis use amongst Australian and New Zealand people with endometriosis: A qualitative study.

“A glimmer of hope” - Perceptions, barriers, and drivers for medicinal cannabis use amongst Australian and New Zealand people with endometriosis: A qualitative study.

Endometriosis and COVID-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

The Place of Cannabinoids in the Treatment of Gynecological Pain

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About