Ciné Brown
University of Miami
Co-Authors: Amrit Baral1, Renessa Williams1, Bria-Necole Diggs1, Ranya Marrakchi El Fellah1, Denise C Vidot1
1University of Miami
Background: As cannabis use increases among cancer patients, understanding information-seeking behaviors is crucial for enhancing patient education, refining clinical guidance, and improving health outcomes. Evidence suggests cancer patients/survivors seek cannabis-related information from healthcare providers, online sources, and peer networks. However, little is known about information-seeking behaviors by cannabis use status and age.
Objective: To investigate how age and cannabis use status influence information-seeking behaviors about cannabis use in cancer care.
Methods: Data are from the NCI-funded Cannabis and Cancer Study (N=437) at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami. Cannabis use status was self-reported (current, former, or never users). Age-groups included 18–39, 40–59, and ≥60y. Participants were asked where they seek cannabis-related information for cancer. Options included: healthcare providers, oncologists, nurses, other patients, and dispensaries. Chi-squared/Fisher’s exact tests, examined differences in information-seeking behaviors, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05.
Results: Among 437 participants (Mean age: 49.8, SD=15.6), 50.8% were male, with 45.5% current users, 25.4% former, and 29.1% never used. Cannabis use status was significantly associated with age (p<0.001). Younger patients (18–39y) were most likely to be current cannabis users (60.6%), while older patients (≥60y) comprised the largest proportion of former users (48.6%). A majority of respondents were currently undergoing treatment (43.9%) followed by those who completed therapy/follow-up (39.6%). Current users were more likely to seek cannabis-related information from primary care providers and online sources, while older patients and former users relied more on oncologists and healthcare professionals. Oncologists (47.1%) were the most common information source, followed by internet searches (33.2%), while pamphlets (8.7%) and hospital websites (8.9%) were least used. Current cannabis users (29.6%) compared to non-users (74.0%) and former users (47.7%, p<0.0001) were less likely to seek information from the oncologist in charge of their cancer treatment. Older patients were more likely to seek information from their oncologists as compared to their younger counterparts (p<0.01). In contrast, endorsement on seeking information from social media was more frequent among younger patients as compared to the older age-groups (p=0.01).
Conclusions: Our findings suggest cannabis use status and age shape information-seeking behaviors in cancer patients, with younger current users favoring online sources while older and former users rely more on oncologists and healthcare professionals. Findings highlight the need for targeted educational interventions.