Pre-Trauma THC Use Is Associated With a Positive Posttraumatic Adjustment Scale Screening

Area of Science:

• Trauma Care
• Psychiatry
• Cannabinoid Research

Background:

• Increasing cannabis use, particularly tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), is noted, with some perceiving it as therapeutic for psychiatric conditions.
• The association between pre-injury THC use and the subsequent development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms remains unclear.
• Understanding this relationship is crucial for trauma patient care and mental health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the association between tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) use and positive screening for posttraumatic stress symptoms.
• To evaluate THC use in relation to the Posttraumatic Adjustment Scale (PAS) in adult trauma patients.
• To identify predictors of positive PAS screening in a trauma population.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study at a Level 1 trauma center (January 2023 - December 2024).
• Inclusion of adult trauma patients who completed inpatient PAS screening.
• Analysis using multivariable logistic regression, adjusting for covariates, with THC use identified via urine drug screen.

Main Results:

• Among 1960 patients, 22.3% screened positive for PTSD symptoms (PAS-positive).
• Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) use was significantly more common in PAS-positive patients (19.6% vs 13.2%, P = 0.001).
• THC use remained an independent predictor of positive PAS screening (OR 1.66, P = 0.001), alongside polysubstance use and injury characteristics.

Conclusions:

• Recent tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) use is independently associated with positive posttraumatic stress symptom screening in trauma patients.
• Findings suggest baseline cannabis use may indicate heightened vulnerability to psychological distress following trauma.
• Results emphasize the need for targeted screening and intervention for trauma patients with a history of THC use, questioning its self-medication role.