Participants who completed the survey ranged from 18 to 70 years of age. Menopausal status was not interrogated, but using age as a proxy, 80.1% of respondents indicated age < 50 (likely premenopausal), and 11.0% indicated age > 50 (likely post-menopausal). Those in the clinic group tended to be younger than those in the EA group (mean ages 33.1 versus 46.9 years); in both groups women who reported using marijuana were younger than those who did not. Participants in both groups reported long histories of pain, but average duration was shorter in the clinic group (12.5 versus 23.3 years). Additional demographic features of participants are reported in Table 1.
Use of marijuana for symptom relief was reported by 45.1% of clinic participants, 23.8% reporting current and 21.3% past use. Such use was reported by 28.3% of EA participants, 16.3% reporting current and 12.0% past use. In both groups those who reported current or past marijuana use were more likely to report possessing a marijuana card; residing where medical use of marijuana was legal; and using CBD (without THC), other recreational drugs, and tobacco. Reported substance use is described in Table 2.
Multivariate analysis identified factors most strongly associated with using marijuana for symptom relief. Use was much more common in young women and estimated to be 7–9% lower for each year of participants’ age at the time of participation. In addition, use was nearly 6-fold greater in women with a history of recreational drug use than in those without (adjusted OR 5.77 (95% CI 2.90, 11.49). Compared to those who reported living where all marijuana use was illegal, use was 3-fold greater in those living in states where medical marijuana use was legal (adjusted OR 3.04 (95% CI 1.29, 7.17) and 7-fold greater for those in states where recreational use was legal (adjusted OR 7.13 (95% CI 2.57, 19.81). Use was also 2- to 3-fold greater in those who did not finish college, those with a disability preventing work, and those who reported sleep difficulties. Detailed results of multi-variate analysis are provided in Table 4. Characteristics of women who reported marijuana use are provided in Table 5.
The majority of participants in the clinical group lived in Arizona, where only medical marijuana was legal at the time of the survey; all users in this group correctly identified the legal status of marijuana in their state. Within the EA group legal status of marijuana in the participant’s state varied: 17.6% reported living where marijuana use was not legal for any purpose, 37.8% where legal only for medical use, and 34.6% where legal for recreational use. Accordingly, source for marijuana differed between the two survey populations (Fig. 1).
Figure 1. Cannabis Source
Those in the clinic population most often obtained it directly through a dispensary (63.3%), while those in the EA group were more likely to obtain it from a friend or family member (51.7%, versus 41.4% from a dispensary directly). Large proportions in both groups (46.4% clinic, 74.0% EA) had never obtained a physician-issued medical marijuana card. Among users residing in a state where only medical marijuana was legal, 52.3% (n = 23) of current users reported having a medical marijuana card.
Frequency of marijuana use had a bimodal distribution (Table 5): most common responses were several times per day (22.4% clinic, 14.1% EA users) and less than once per month (20.7% clinic, 16.7% EA users). Regarding interaction with fertility-related factors, use throughout pregnancy was uncommon, reported by only 1 clinic user (1.7%) and 3 EA users (3.8%). Among marijuana users, 34.6% (n = 47) reported having undergone hysterectomy to address their endometriosis pain.
Although participants reported using marijuana to treat a variety of symptoms, they most often reported use for treatment of constant pelvic pain (86.3% clinic, 75.4% EA users) (Fig. 2).
Numerous respondents identified multiple reasons for use, and anxiety or depression (64.7% clinic, 55.7% EA users) and difficulty sleeping (76.5% clinic, 54.1% EA users) were frequently noted. Reasons for initiating use varied between the populations (Fig. 3).
Figure 3. Reason for trying cannabis
Lack of symptom relief from other clinical management was the single most cited motivation for initiation (55.1% clinic, 39.7% EA users). The recommendation to try marijuana was reported to come predominantly from social contacts -- friends, family, or other patients (89.8% clinic, 82.8% EA users). Recommendation of a physician was infrequently reported (12.2% clinic, 20.7% EA users).
The majority of users reported marijuana to be very or moderately effective for relief of endometriosis/chronic pelvic pain (75.9% clinic, 68.0% EA users). Notably, marijuana was most often considered very effective (53.4% clinic, 39.7% EA users). Routes of administration reported to be most effective were smoked/inhaled (29.2% clinic, 43.1% EA users) and edibles (31.3% clinic, 36.2% EA users). Use by more than one route was reported by 75.7% of users. Among all women who reported using marijuana, those who obtained it directly from a dispensary tended to report greater effectiveness (moderately effective or very effective vs not effective or slightly effective; total sample, p = 0.009; clinic, p = 0.006; EA, p = 0.374 ) However, within the EA group, those who obtained it from friends or family tended to report greater effectiveness (moderately effective or very effective vs not effective or slightly effective; total sample, p = 0.097, clinic, p = 0.403, EA, p = 0.005).
The most frequently reported side effects of marijuana were comparatively mild. Most users reported experiencing dry mouth (65.9% clinic, 63.5% EA users) and increased appetite (61.0% clinic, 71.2% EA users) (Fig. 4).
Among the 54 women who stopped using marijuana, discontinuation was attributed to several reasons (Fig. 5).
Figure 5: Reasons for discontinuing cannabis
Collectively, non-clinical factors such as employment or legal risk, social stigma, or obstacles to access were most commonly cited. Lack of effectiveness for symptom control was cited by 42.9% of clinic past users and 30.4% of EA past users. Unpleasant side effects were cited by 23.8% of clinic past users and 26.1% of EA past users. The majority of past users 64.8%) attributed discontinuation to only non-clinical factors, with neither lack of symptom control nor unpleasant side effects cited.
Use of cannabidiol without THC was reported by 27.8% (67 of 240) EA participants, with half (50%, 34 of 67) reporting CBD to be very or moderately effective. Use was reported by 46.0% of clinic participants (57 of 124), with the majority (64.9%, 37 of 57) reporting CBD to be very or moderately effective. CBD was most likely to be reported as moderately effective (31.4% of EA participants, 36.8% of clinic participants). Of the 127 patients reporting cannabidiol use, 99 (78%) also reported marijuana use.