Journal article
Measuring Attitudes Toward Medical and Recreational Cannabis Among Older Adults in Colorado
The Gerontologist, Vol.60(4), pp.e232-e241
05/15/2020
DOI: 10.1093/geront/gnz054
PMID: 31087043
Abstract
Abstract
Background and Objectives
Cannabis use among older adults is on the rise. Despite growing interest in the topic, there exists a paucity of standardized measures capturing cannabis-specific attitudes among older adults. Using data from a survey of older Coloradans, we create two scales that separately measure medical and recreational cannabis attitudes. We also examine how these two attitudes relate to individual-level characteristics.
Research Design and Methods
We assess reliability using Cronbach’s alpha and item-rest correlations and perform confirmatory factor analyses to test the two attitude models. We conduct a seemingly unrelated regression estimation to assess how individual characteristics predict medical and recreational cannabis attitude scores.
Results
Twelve indicators combined into two valid and reliable scales. Both scales had a three-factor structure with affect, cognition and social perception as latent dimensions. For both scales, fit indices for the three-factor model were statistically superior when compared with other models. The three-factor structure for both scales was invariant across age groups. Age, physical health, and being a caregiver differentially predicted medical and recreational cannabis attitude scores.
Discussion and Implications
Medical and recreational cannabis attitude scales can inform the development and evaluation of tailored interventions targeting older adult attitudes that aim to influence cannabis use behaviors. These scales also enable researchers to measure cannabis-specific attitudes among older adults more accurately and parsimoniously, which in turn can facilitate a better understanding of the complex interplay between cannabis policy, use, and attitudes.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Measuring Attitudes Toward Medical and Recreational Cannabis Among Older Adults in Colorado
- Creators
- Kanika Arora - Department of Health Management and Policy, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, AuroraSara H Qualls - Department of Psychology and Gerontology Center, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, AuroraJulie Bobitt - Interdisciplinary Health Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, AuroraHillary D Lum - Division of Geriatric Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, AuroraGary Milavetz - Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science, University of IowaJames Croker - Department of Health Management and Policy, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, AuroraBrian Kaskie - Department of Health Management and Policy, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Aurora
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- The Gerontologist, Vol.60(4), pp.e232-e241
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- DOI
- 10.1093/geront/gnz054
- PMID
- 31087043
- ISSN
- 0016-9013
- eISSN
- 1758-5341
- Grant note
- DOI: 10.13039/100007590, name: Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 05/15/2020
- Academic Unit
- Pharmacy; Health Management and Policy; Pharmacy Practice and Science
- Record Identifier
- 9984214833902771
Metrics
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