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Main Article Content
Cannabis use and abuse correlates in a homogeneous South African schizophrenia population
Abstract
illicit substance, and it has been identified as a correlate in
schizophrenia samples for poorer symptomatic and functional
outcomes in many international studies. The object of this
retrospective study was to identify the prevalence of cannabis
use/abuse and the demographic and clinical correlates
therefor in a large homogeneous South African schizophrenia
population.
Methods. As part of a large genetic study, 547 subjects with a
diagnosis of schizophrenia were recruited. Demographic and
clinical data were collected and each participant underwent a
urinary drug screen. Use/abuse of cannabis was defined as
using cannabis more than 21 times in a single year. Subjects
with and without cannabis use/abuse were statistically
compared.
Results. Significant differences between the two groups
were found in terms of gender, marital status, age of onset
of schizophrenia, number of hospitalisations and relapses,
alcohol abuse, smoking, the Scale for the Assessment of
Positive Symptoms (SAPS) scores for hallucinations, delusions,
bizarre behaviour and formal thought disorder, and the Scale
for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS) score for
avolition/apathy.
Conclusion. The prevalence of cannabis use/abuse in this
study was high, and our findings were comparable with those
of previous international studies. Abuse/use started mainly in
the teenage years, was more prevalent among males than
females, and was associated with negative overall outcomes.
There was also a positive correlation between cannabis and
nicotine and alcohol use/abuse. Determination of cannabis
abuse based solely on history was found to be reliable, and
urine cannabis testing appeared to be of limited value in
routine management of this group of schizophrenic patients
