title: Gender differences in health-related quality of life among cannabis users: results from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cannabis is the most widely used illicit substance worldwide. The aim of the present study was to assess self-reported Quality of Life (QoL) among cannabis users in a large representative sample.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed data from the National Epidemiological Survey of Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC, n=43,093). Health-related QoL was assessed using the Short-form 12-item Health Survey (SF-12). The contribution of cannabis use and cannabis use disorders (CUD) to SF-12 scores was assessed using multiple linear regressions models.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of cannabis use and CUD in the last 12 months was 4.1% and 1.5%, respectively. Mean SF-12 mental summary scores were significantly lower (indicating a lower QoL) among female and male cannabis users compared to non-users (by 0.6 standard deviations (SD) and 0.3 SD, respectively), and among females and males with CUD compared to those without CUD (by 0.9 SD and 0.4 SD, respectively). Controlling for sociodemographic variables and mental illness, each joint smoked daily was associated with a greater decrease in mental QoL summary scores in females (0.1 SD) compared to males (0.03 SD).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cannabis use and CUD were associated with lower self-reported mental QoL. Specifically, our findings showed that cannabis use and CUD have a more significant effect on self-reported mental health QoL among female users. Assessing severity of cannabis use and impact of CUD should take into account functional and emotional outcomes. This may particularly aid in detecting the impact of cannabis use and CUD on mental health-related QoL among females.
authors.affiliation: Translational Addiction Research Laboratory, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada. shauli.levran@gmail.com
authors.forename: Shaul
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lev-Ran
authors.forename: Sameer
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Imtiaz
authors.forename: Benjamin J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Kevin D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Shield
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rehm
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Le Foll
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D004194:Disease; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D002189:Marijuana Abuse / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D008385:Marijuana Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications; D008875:Middle Aged; D016011:Normal Distribution; D011788:Quality of Life; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult