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Author: Morral, Andrew R.
Resulting in 1 citation.
1. Harder, Valerie S.
Morral, Andrew R.
Arkes, Jeremy
Marijuana Use and Depression Among Adults: Testing for Causal Associations
Addiction 101,10 (October 2006): 1463-1472.
Also: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1360-0443.2006.01545.x/abstract
Cohort(s): NLSY79
Publisher: Wiley Online
Keyword(s): Depression (see also CESD); Drug Use; Self-Reporting; Substance Use; Variables, Independent - Covariate

Permission to reprint the abstract has not been received from the publisher.

Aim: To determine whether marijuana use predicts later development of depression after accounting for differences between users and non-users of marijuana. Design: An ongoing longitudinal survey of 12 686 men and women beginning in 1979. Setting: The National Longitudinal Survey of Youth of 1979, a nationally representative sample from the United States. Participants: A total of 8759 adults (age range 29–37 years) interviewed in 1994 had complete data on past-year marijuana use and current depression. Measurements: Self-reported past-year marijuana use was tested as an independent predictor of later adult depression using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies--Depression questionnaire. Individual's propensity to use marijuana was calculated using over 50 baseline covariates. Findings: Before adjusting for group differences, the odds of current depression among past-year marijuana users is 1.4 times higher (95% CI: 1.1, 1.9) than the odds of depression among the non-using comparison group. After adjustment, the odds of current depression among past-year marijuana users is only 1.1 times higher than the comparison group (95% CI: 0.8, 1.7). Similarly, adjustment eliminates significant associations between marijuana use and depression in four additional analyses: heavy marijuana use as the risk factor, stratifying by either gender or age, and using a 4-year lag-time between marijuana use and depression. Conclusions: After adjusting for differences in baseline risk factors of marijuana use and depression, past-year marijuana use does not significantly predict later development of depression. These findings are discussed in terms of their relevance for understanding possible causal effects of marijuana use on depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Bibliography Citation
Harder, Valerie S., Andrew R. Morral and Jeremy Arkes. "Marijuana Use and Depression Among Adults: Testing for Causal Associations." Addiction 101,10 (October 2006): 1463-1472.