The attitudes, knowledge and confidence of healthcare professionals about cannabis-based products

Abstract

BackgroundUse of cannabis-based products is becoming more frequent, and it is important that healthcare professionals are informed and confident about them when making evidence-based decisions about their use. This study aimed to gain an international perspective on the attitudes, knowledge, and confidence of healthcare professionals about cannabis-based products.MethodsAn online questionnaire regarding these products was completed by 1580 healthcare professionals (neurologists, psychiatrists, general practitioners, pharmacists and nurses) from 16 countries across Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and the Middle East.ResultsRespondents expressed a high level of interest in cannabis-based products (median score 9 out of 10) and reported that they felt knowledgeable about them (median score 6 out of 7). They reported a high level of confidence when providing patients with information on cannabis-based products, returning median scores of 6 and 5 out of 7 for their legality and regulations, and their benefits and risks, respectively. Despite this, healthcare professionals sought further information on cannabis-based products across areas including legality, neurobiology, and scientific evidence. Finally, 59% (n = 930) of respondents considered robust clinical trial evidence as the most important factor to ensure patient safety in the context of these products. Few nominally significant differences emerged between healthcare professionals from different specialities or regions.ConclusionIn conclusion, this large survey of attitudes held by healthcare professionals towards cannabis-based products revealed a high level of interest and a demand for more information. Limitations of this study include potential sample bias and limited external validity.