Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37147415›Full record

ArticleDrugs & aging2023

The Information-Seeking Behavior and Unmet Knowledge Needs of Older Medicinal Cannabis Consumers in Canada: A Qualitative Descriptive Study.

Jeffrey I Butler, Sherry Dahlke, Rashmi Devkota, Shovana Shrestha, Kathleen F Hunter, Madeline Toubiana, Maya R Kalogirou, Joanna Law, Melissa Scheuerman

Open access · bronzeAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Drugs & aging, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
2.2field-weighted citation impact, top 13% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 9 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Perceptions of cannabis among adults aged 60 years and older in Canada: a qualitative study.Health promotion and chronic disease prevention in Canada : research, policy and practice · 2025
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Jeffrey I ButlerFaculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, Edmonton Clinic Health Academy, 11405-87 Ave NW, Edmonton, AB, T6G 1C9, Canada. jibutler@ualberta.ca.ORCID 0000-0003-2765-7208
Sherry DahlkeFaculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, Edmonton Clinic Health Academy, 11405-87 Ave NW, Edmonton, AB, T6G 1C9, Canada. sherry.dahlke@ualberta.ca.ORCID 0000-0001-6599-3101
Rashmi DevkotaFaculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, Edmonton Clinic Health Academy, 11405-87 Ave NW, Edmonton, AB, T6G 1C9, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-4708-6628
Shovana ShresthaFaculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, Edmonton Clinic Health Academy, 11405-87 Ave NW, Edmonton, AB, T6G 1C9, Canada.
Kathleen F HunterFaculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, Edmonton Clinic Health Academy, 11405-87 Ave NW, Edmonton, AB, T6G 1C9, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-8468-5128
Madeline ToubianaTelfer School of Management, University of Ottawa, 55 Laurier Avenue East, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada.
Maya R KalogirouFaculty of Nursing, MacEwan University, 11405-87th Avenue, Edmonton, AB, T6G 1C9, Canada.ORCID 0000-0003-2709-488X
Joanna LawFaculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, Edmonton Clinic Health Academy, 11405-87 Ave NW, Edmonton, AB, T6G 1C9, Canada.
Melissa ScheuermanFaculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, Edmonton Clinic Health Academy, 11405-87 Ave NW, Edmonton, AB, T6G 1C9, Canada.
University of Alberta · CAMacEwan University · CAUniversity of Ottawa · CA

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionOlder Canadians (age 60+) are increasingly using cannabis to treat their health problems, but little is known regarding how they learn about medicinal cannabis. This study explored the perspectives of older cannabis consumers, prospective consumers, healthcare professionals, and cannabis retailers on older adults' information-seeking behavior and unmet knowledge needs.

methodsA qualitative descriptive design was used. Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with a purposeful sample of 36 older cannabis consumers and prospective consumers, as well as 4 healthcare professionals and 5 cannabis retailers from across Canada, for a total sample of 45 participants. Data were thematically analyzed.

resultsThree main themes characterizing older cannabis consumers' information-seeking were identified: (1) knowledge sources, (2) types of information sought, and (3) unmet knowledge needs. Participants accessed a variety of knowledge sources to inform themselves about medicinal cannabis. Cannabis retailers were identified as providing medical information to many older adults, despite regulations to the contrary. Cannabis-specialized healthcare professionals were also viewed as key knowledge sources, while primary care providers were perceived as both knowledge sources and gatekeepers limiting access to information. The types of information participants sought included the effects and potential benefits of medicinal cannabis, the side effects and risks involved, and guidance regarding suitable cannabis products. Participants' most salient unmet knowledge needs focused on dosing and use of cannabis to treat specific health conditions. DISCUSSION: Findings suggest that barriers to learning about medical cannabis among older consumers identified in prior research remain pervasive and cut across jurisdictions. To address these barriers, there is a need for better knowledge products tailored to older cannabis consumers and their information needs, and further education for primary healthcare providers on medicinal cannabis and its therapeutic applications with older patients.

Indexed as

CannabisMedical MarijuanaAgedCanadaHumansInformation Seeking BehaviorProspective StudiesQualitative ResearchMedical Marijuana

Identifiers

PMID37147415
PMCPMC10162651
OpenAlexW4372218907

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.