Perceptions of Patient and Surgeon Marijuana Use: A Survey Study of Upper-Extremity Patients

Purpose

The Drug Enforcement Agency has categorized marijuana as a schedule 1 substance. In states where marijuana is legal, health care systems and licensing boards restrict usage by health care professionals outside of work, unlike alcohol. Considering the paucity of evidence with respect to clinical efficacy and the legal ambiguity associated with marijuana, the purpose of this investigation was to quantify patient perceptions of marijuana use. We sought to evaluate patient perceptions of potential marijuana use by physicians, compared with other substances such as alcohol and nicotine.

Methods

Four hundred thirteen anonymous, 19-question surveys were administered to upper-extremity patients at a single institution. Surveys included demographics, the Brief Marijuana Effect Expectancies Questionnaire, and questions analyzing willingness to discuss/use marijuana as part of treatment. Patients were asked to answer the following using a five-point Likert scale: “I am comfortable with my doctor using the following substances outside of work.” A binary logistic regression model was constructed to assess the significance of patient demographics associated with perceptions of physician marijuana usage.

Results

A total of 388 (94%) surveys were included. Forty percent of respondents had used marijuana. Forty percent were open to using marijuana as part of a treatment plan. Sixty-four percent agreed that they were comfortable with their doctor using alcohol outside of work compared with 47% for recreational marijuana. Demographic factors and personal history of marijuana use were not associated with perceptions of potential physician use.

Conclusions

Patient perceptions of marijuana use are variable. More patients were comfortable with their physician using marijuana outside of work than not. Patients were as comfortable with their physicians using medical marijuana as they were with nicotine.

Clinical relevance

As federal and state laws surrounding marijuana use change, understanding patient perceptions of potential physician use may play a role in determining health system and licensing board policies.