Abstract
Study Objective
Pregnant and nonpregnant populations in the United States report marijuana as the
most commonly used illicit drug. Patterns of marijuana use and psychosocial correlates
are unclear among non–treatment-seeking teenage girls.
Design, Setting, Participants, Interventions, and Main Outcome Measures
The objective of this study was to use cross-sectional data to examine the psychosocial
correlates of recent marijuana use among a sample of 646 pregnant and nonpregnant
adolescent girls presenting to urban primary care clinics (mean age = 15.6 years,
SD = 1.9 years; 65% African American; 8.8% pregnant).
Results
In Poisson regression analysis, frequency of marijuana use was significantly associated
with greater likelihood of pregnancy (incident rate ratio [IRR], 1.30; 95% CI, 1.03-1.65),
alcohol use (IRR, 1.11; 95% CI, 10.08-1.14), condomless sex (IRR, 1.95; 95% CI, 1.61-2.37),
parents’ drug use (IRR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.02-1.05), and negative peer influences (IRR,
1.12; 95% CI, 1.10-1.16).
Conclusion
Marijuana use among adolescent girls in this sample was associated with a number of
risk behaviors as well as parental and peer influences. Culturally sensitive screening
and intervention approaches for marijuana use among adolescent girls should address
multiple individual, relationship, and community factors, to prevent unwanted pregnancy
as well as to reduce marijuana use during this vulnerable time.
Key Words
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: May 08, 2018
Footnotes
The authors indicate no conflicts of interest.
This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01329315.
These findings were presented, in part, at the American Psychological Association Convention in Washington, DC, August, 2017.
Identification
Copyright
© 2018 North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology. Published by Elsevier Inc.
