Gender differences in cannabis use disorders: Results from the National Epidemiologic Survey of Alcohol and Related Conditions

Abstract

Background To examine gender differences among individuals diagnosed with DSM-IV lifetime cannabis use disorder (CUD). Methods A nationally representative sample of U.S. adults aged 18 years or older that were diagnosed with lifetime CUD (N= 3,297): Men (N = 2,080), Women (N = 1,217). Data were drawn from the 2001–2002 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC, n = 43,093). The survey response rate was 81%. Results Nearly all individuals with CUD had a psychiatric comorbidity (95.6% of men, 94.1% of women). Men with lifetime CUD were more likely than women to be diagnosed with any psychiatric disorder, any substance use disorder and antisocial personality disorder, whereas women with CUD had more mood and anxiety disorders. After adjusting for gender differences in sociodemographic correlates and the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in the general population, women with CUD were at greater risk for externalizing disorders. Men with CUD met more criteria for cannabis abuse, had longer episodes of CUD, smoked more joints, and were older at remission when compared to women with CUD. Women experienced telescoping to CUD. Treatment-seeking rates were very low for both genders, and there were no gender differences in types of services used or reasons for not seeking treatment. Conclusions There are important gender differences in the clinical characteristics and psychiatric comorbidities among individuals with CUD.

Recovery from cannabis use disorders: Abstinence versus moderation and treatment-assisted recovery versus natural recovery.

“…The fact that the sample was mostly male is not uncommon for a cannabis using population (Copeland & Swift, 2009;Khan et al, 2013); and while the construct of ethnicity is often ill-defined, including in the present study, the fact the majority of the sample self-identified as Caucasian is representative of the population of Calgary, AB (Statistics Canada, 2011). Only one demographic difference emerged among the different recovery pathways.…”

Cannabis Abusers Show Hypofrontality and Blunted Brain Responses to a Stimulant Challenge in Females but not in Males

“…Further, male CA were more likely diagnosed with any psychiatric disorder, any substance use disorder and antisocial personality disorder compared with female CA, whereas female CA had more mood, anxiety, and externalizing disorders (Khan et al, 2013). Male CA also had longer episodes of abuse, smoked more joints, and were older at remission than female CA (Khan et al, 2013). Nevertheless, it has to be noted that some of these gender differences might reflect social and cultural factors influencing exposure and responses to cannabis rather than biological differences in the sensitivity to cannabis.…”

“…That is, smoking cannabis was associated with decreased quality of life, particularly in female CA (Lev-Ran et al, 2012). Further, male CA were more likely diagnosed with any psychiatric disorder, any substance use disorder and antisocial personality disorder compared with female CA, whereas female CA had more mood, anxiety, and externalizing disorders (Khan et al, 2013). Male CA also had longer episodes of abuse, smoked more joints, and were older at remission than female CA (Khan et al, 2013).…”

Treatment seeking in cannabis dependence: The role of social cognition

“…Despite many individuals meeting the criteria for cannabis dependence, few seek formal treatment (Vendetii et al, 2002). A nationally representative study (N= 49,093) found that only 13% of cannabisdependent individuals sought formal treatment over the course of their lifetime (Khan et al, 2013). In comparison, approximately 13% of alcohol dependent individuals entered treatment in a given year (Teesson et al, 2006).…”