Confirmed marijuana use and lymphocyte count in black people living with HIV

The Association Between Marijuana Use and HIV Continuum of Care Outcomes: a Systematic Review

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Approximately 77% of HIV-infected adults report lifetime marijuana use. Given the high rates and social acceptability of marijuana use among HIV-infected individuals, it is important to gain a stronger understanding of if, and how, marijuana impacts HIV care cascade outcomes. The purpose of this study is to systematically review recent articles that assess the relationship between marijuana use and HIV continuum of care outcomes.

RECENT FINDINGS

One hundred and ninety articles from PubMed were considered for inclusion, and 15 were included in the review. The studies focus on marijuana use among HIV-infected individuals aware of their serostatus (k = 4), individuals engaged in treatment (k = 1), marijuana use in association with adherence to antiretroviral medications (k = 6), and marijuana use in relation to multiple stages of the HIV care cascade (k = 4). Preliminary findings from the small number of studies revealed an association between marijuana use, especially current heavy use, and HIV seropositivity. However, results from studies assessing marijuana use and treatment engagement and adherence to antiretroviral medications were inconsistent and inconclusive. Additional research is needed to assess the nuanced relationship between marijuana use and HIV continuum of care outcomes, especially among subgroups of HIV-infected individuals, such as men who have sex with men and young adults.

Accuracy of Medical Marijuana Claims Made by Popular Websites

BACKGROUND

With increasing popularity of marijuana, consumers are likely turning to the internet for information regarding medical marijuana. Accuracy of medical marijuana claims is a significant concern because consumers change their medication management based on information from a single website.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy and quality of medical marijuana claims on popular websites. Methods : Commonly used websites containing claims regarding medical marijuana were selected by utilizing three online marketing tools that rank websites based on number of views, number of visitors, and visitor engagement. Once the top ten most popular websites were selected, medical claims regarding marijuana were reviewed for accuracy and quality using evidence-based tools.

RESULTS

Seventy-six percent of claims made by websites were inaccurate and were based on low-quality evidence. Of the medical marijuana claims reviewed, 10% of websites made appropriate cause and effect conclusions. Furthermore, approximately 3% of the medical marijuana claims were written by a healthcare professional.

CONCLUSION

The findings show there is misleading and inaccurate information readily available to consumers online.