@article{d25cbe72f32c450885e549ddc03d8975,
title = "Older Cannabis Users Are Not All Alike: Lifespan Cannabis Use Patterns",
abstract = "Although several studies have examined individual-level correlates of cannabis use in later life, there is scant evidence identifying heterogeneity among older users. Using data from Colorado, this study examines variability in lifespan patterns of cannabis use among individuals aged 60 years and older. Sample respondents reported cannabis use in the past year and frequency of use in four periods of adulthood. Analyses used a multi-way contingency table to identify mutually exclusive subgroups of cannabis users based on lifetime reports of use and linear probability models to identify predictors of group identity. Three subgroups of older cannabis users were identified: new users, stop-out or intermittent users, and consistent users. The three groups varied on current use frequency and method of ingestion, as well as social and health characteristics. Screening for past history of cannabis use may help health care providers identify older adults who need health information and monitoring related to cannabis use.",
keywords = "cannabis, lifespan use patterns, subgroups",
author = "Kanika Arora and Qualls, {Sara H.} and Julie Bobitt and Gary Milavetz and Brian Kaskie",
note = "Funding Information: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6777-8077 Arora Kanika 1 Qualls Sara H. 2 Bobitt Julie 3 Milavetz Gary 1 Kaskie Brian 1 1 The University of Iowa, Iowa City, USA 2 University of Colorado Colorado Springs, USA 3 University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, USA Kanika Arora, Department of Health Management and Policy, College of Public Health, The University of Iowa, 145 N. Riverside Drive, Room N238, Iowa City, IA 52242-2007, USA. Email: kanika-arora@uiowa.edu 12 2019 0733464819894922 17 6 2019 14 11 2019 19 11 2019 {\textcopyright} The Author(s) 2019 2019 Southern Gerontological Society Although several studies have examined individual-level correlates of cannabis use in later life, there is scant evidence identifying heterogeneity among older users. Using data from Colorado, this study examines variability in lifespan patterns of cannabis use among individuals aged 60 years and older. Sample respondents reported cannabis use in the past year and frequency of use in four periods of adulthood. Analyses used a multi-way contingency table to identify mutually exclusive subgroups of cannabis users based on lifetime reports of use and linear probability models to identify predictors of group identity. Three subgroups of older cannabis users were identified: new users, stop-out or intermittent users, and consistent users. The three groups varied on current use frequency and method of ingestion, as well as social and health characteristics. Screening for past history of cannabis use may help health care providers identify older adults who need health information and monitoring related to cannabis use. cannabis lifespan use patterns subgroups edited-state corrected-proof typesetter ts1 The authors acknowledge Divya Bhagianadh for assistance with data analysis. Declaration of Conflicting Interests The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. Funding The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was supported by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Institutional Review Board Approval The study was approved by the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) Institutional Review Board (IRB# 17-088) as well as University of Iowa Institutional Review Board (IRB# 201601761 IRB-02). ORCID iD Kanika Arora https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6777-8077 ",
year = "2021",
month = jan,
doi = "10.1177/0733464819894922",
language = "English (US)",
volume = "40",
pages = "87--94",
journal = "Journal of Applied Gerontology",
issn = "0733-4648",
publisher = "SAGE Publications Inc.",
number = "1",
}