Table 1 Baseline characteristics of those authorized for medical cannabis and matched controls (n = 10,746)
From: Opioid use in medical cannabis authorization adult patients from 2013 to 2018: Alberta, Canada
Characteristic | Matched Controls (N = 5373) | Authorized for medical cannabis (N = 5373) | P-value | Standardized Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Age, years, mean (SD) | 52.5 (15.8) | 52.3 (13.9) | 0.74 | 0.00638 |
Female, n (%) | 2948 (54.9%) | 2907 (54.1%) | 0.70 | 0.00638 |
Comorbidities | ||||
 Neoplasms, n (%) | 1039 (19.3%) | 1117 (20.8%) | 0.06 | 0.03626 |
 Diabetes, n (%) | 838 (15.6%) | 830 (15.5%) | 0.83 | 0.00411 |
 Mental Disorder, n (%) | 3832 (71.3%) | 3857 (71.2%) | 0.59 | 0.01031 |
 Nerve System Disease, n (%) | 1391 (25.9%) | 1536 (28.6%) | 0.01 | 0.06065 |
 Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, n (%) | 985 (18.3%) | 921 (17.1%) | 0.11 | 0.03119 |
 Colitis, n (%) | 174 (2.2%) | 159 (3.0%) | 0.01 | 0.04943 |
 Inflammatory Disease of Uterus, n (%) | 3 (0.1%) | 3 (0.1%) | 1.0 | 0 |
 Diseases of the Musculoskeletal System and Connective Tissue, n (%) | 4605 (85.7%) | 4703 (87.5%) | 0.01 | 0.05359 |
 Generalized Pain, n (%) | 5 (0.1%) | 8 (0.2%) | 0.40 | 0.01606 |
 Injury and Poisoning, n (%) | 1838 (34.2%) | 1686 (31.4%) | 0.01 | 0.06029 |
Healthcare Utilization | ||||
 Patients with at least one inpatient hospitalization, n (%) | 1062 (19.7%) | 1058 (19.7%) | 0.92 | 0.00187 |
 Patients with at least five outpatient visits, n (%) | 2271 (42.3%) | 2280 (42.4%) | 0.86 | 0.00339 |
 Patients with at least five distinct drug class dispensations, n (%) | 5231 (97.4%) | 5181 (96.4%) | 0.01 | 0.05364 |