Healthcare professionals and medical cannabis: a scoping review informed by the theoretical domains framework

O’Rourke, Rebekah; Lima, Maria Luísa; Jetten, Jolanda

doi:10.1007/s10389-021-01624-9

Cited by 3 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 55 publications

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“…As Zolotov et al [18] found, experiences are drawn on by practitioners and influence their perceptions of medical cannabis. In addition, O'Rourke et al [29] suggest that social influences and the norms of health-care professionals need to be considered when examining the determinants of prescribing medical cannabis.…”

Section: Prescriber Perceptions Of Medical Cannabismentioning

confidence: 99%

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Exploring the medical cannabis prescribing behaviours of New Zealand physicians

Manoharan

Kemper

Young

2022

Drug and Alcohol Review

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Introduction Many countries are changing their regulations for prescribing medical cannabis. As gatekeepers, physicians significantly impact patient access to cannabis treatments. It is important to explore how physicians view prescribing cannabis in terms of their existing beliefs, knowledge, possible concerns and personal perceptions. Methods Individual, semi‐structured telephone interviews were undertaken with 14 New Zealand physicians from various specialties. The interviews were thematically analysed using a phenomenological approach. Results The physician–patient relationship was of extreme importance in making prescription decisions, driven largely by trust in the patient. Barriers to prescribing included concern over possible side effects, the quality and standardisation of medication, uncertainty about indications and equity concerns from the high cost for lower socio‐economic patients. Some physicians held concerns over their liability and risks to their reputation if issues arose for patients. Discussion and Conclusion The way physicians regard prescribing medical cannabis is based on their personal beliefs and knowledge built up over their medical career. It is important that these are taken into consideration in the design of future guidelines to help alleviate uncertainties and reduce barriers for informed prescribing. While our research and previous research find that physicians generally will follow clinical guidelines based on institutional logics (i.e. the standardised approach to medicine), we find that physicians often allow their personal construals to determine their perceptions and prescribing behaviour to a considerable extent when they practice medicine. Our findings have implications for Continuing Medical Education, marketing and regulation for medical cannabis, especially about the wording of guideline adherence.

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Section: Prescriber Perceptions Of Medical Cannabismentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition, O'Rourke et al . [29] suggest that social influences and the norms of health‐care professionals need to be considered when examining the determinants of prescribing medical cannabis.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring the medical cannabis prescribing behaviours of New Zealand physicians

Manoharan

Kemper

Young

2022

Drug and Alcohol Review

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Medicinal use of cannabis: A qualitative study of the perspectives of doctors and pharmacists from six African countries

Kitchen,

Kabba,

Nelson

et al. 2023

Journal of Ethnicity in Substance Abuse

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‘The wild west of medicine’: A qualitative investigation of the factors influencing Australian health‐care practitioners' delivery of medicinal cannabis

Dobson,

Barber,

Graham

et al. 2024

Drug and Alcohol Review

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IntroductionStrong patient interest in the use of medicinal cannabis to treat various clinical indications has sparked global legislative changes. Practitioners are vital in implementing regulatory changes and facilitating patient access to medicinal cannabis, however, little is currently known about the factors influencing practitioners' uptake. Recent rapid increases in practitioner applications to prescribe medicinal cannabis in Australia provides a unique backdrop to examine the current factors influencing prescribing behaviours. This qualitative study examined Australian practitioners' perspectives on prescribing medicinal cannabis to provide a comprehensive exploration of the potential factors influencing uptake in clinical practice.MethodsSeventeen semi‐structured interviews were conducted with Australian health‐care practitioners. Transcripts were analysed using the Framework approach to thematic analysis and cross‐mapped to appropriate domains of the Theoretical Domains Framework.ResultsWe identified four themes related to the barriers and facilitators to prescribing medicinal cannabis: (i) clinical capabilities needed to prescribe; (ii) prescribing an unapproved therapeutic good; (iii) negative attitudes towards prescribers in the medical community; and (iv) divergent beliefs about clinical utility.Discussion and ConclusionsPractitioners face multiple pervasive barriers to prescribing medicinal cannabis. Beliefs about clinical utility appear to be highly influential in shaping prescribing behaviours. Moreover, our findings suggest that a medicinal cannabis ‘specialisation’ has emerged within the Australian medical community. Findings demonstrate that a range of complex and multifaceted factors influence practitioners' medicinal cannabis prescribing behaviours. We highlight several considerations for policy and practice to support safe and appropriate patient access to medicinal cannabis in this emerging area of clinical practice.

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Healthcare professionals and medical cannabis: a scoping review informed by the theoretical domains framework

Cited by 3 publications

References 55 publications

Exploring the medical cannabis prescribing behaviours of New Zealand physicians

Exploring the medical cannabis prescribing behaviours of New Zealand physicians

Medicinal use of cannabis: A qualitative study of the perspectives of doctors and pharmacists from six African countries

‘The wild west of medicine’: A qualitative investigation of the factors influencing Australian health‐care practitioners' delivery of medicinal cannabis

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