Verlin Joseph - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Verlin Joseph
Addiction Research & Theory
Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology
Cannabis, Feb 7, 2023
Background: Understanding, predicting, and reducing the harms associated with cannabis use is an ... more Background: Understanding, predicting, and reducing the harms associated with cannabis use is an important field of study. Timing (i.e., hour of day and day of week) of substance use is an established risk factor of severity of dependence. However, there has been little attention paid to morning use of cannabis and its associations with negative consequences. Objectives: The goal of the present study was to examine whether distinct classifications of cannabis use habits exist based on timing, and whether these classifications differ on cannabis use indicators, motives for using cannabis, use of protective behavioral strategies, and cannabis-related negative outcomes. Methods: Latent class analyses were conducted on four independent samples of college student cannabis users (Project MOST 1, N=2,056; Project MOST 2, N=1846; Project PSST, N=1,971; Project CABS, N=1,122). Results: Results determined that a 5-class solution best fit the data within each independent sample consisting of the classes: (1) "Daily-morning use", (2) "Daily-non-morning use", (3) "Weekend-morning use", (4) "Weekend-night use", and (5) "Weekendevening use." Classes endorsing daily and/or morning use reported greater use, negative consequences and motives, while those endorsing weekend and/or non-morning use reported the most adaptive outcomes (i.e., reduced frequency/quantity of use, fewer consequences experienced, and fewer cannabis use disorder symptoms endorsed). Conclusions: Recreational daily use as well as morning use may be associated with greater negative consequences, and there is evidence that most college students who use cannabis do avoid these types of use. The results of the present study offer evidence that timing of cannabis use may be a pertinent factor in determining harms associated with use.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
Cannabis use continues to escalate among emerging adults and college attendance may be a risk fac... more Cannabis use continues to escalate among emerging adults and college attendance may be a risk factor for use. Severe cases of cannabis use can escalate to a cannabis use disorder, which is associated with worse psychosocial functioning. Predictors of cannabis use consequences and cannabis use disorder symptom severity have been identified; however, they typically employ a narrow set of predictors and rely on linear models. Machine learning is well suited for exploratory data analyses of high-dimensional data. This study applied decision tree learning to identify predictors of cannabis user status, negative cannabis-related consequences, and cannabis use disorder symptoms. Undergraduate college students (N = 7000) were recruited from nine universities in nine states across the U.S. Among the 7 trees, 24 splits created by 15 distinct predictors were identified. Consistent with prior research, one's beliefs about cannabis were strong predictors of user status. Negative reinforcement cannabis use motives were the most consistent predictors of cannabis use disorder symptoms, and past month cannabis use was the most consistent predictor of probable cannabis use disorder. Typical frequency of cannabis use was the only predictor of negative cannabis-related consequences. Our results demonstrate that decision trees are a useful methodological tool for identifying targets for future clinical research.
Abstracts from the 2020 Virtual Scientific Meeting of the Research Society on Marijuana July 24th, 2020, 2021
Background: Medical cannabis is available to patients by physician order in two-thirds of the Uni... more Background: Medical cannabis is available to patients by physician order in two-thirds of the United States (U.S.) as of 2020, but remains classified as an illicit substance by federal law. States that permit medical cannabis ordered by a physician typically require a diagnosed medical condition that is considered qualifying by respective state law. Objectives: To identify and map the most recently (2016-2019) published clinical and scientific literature across approved conditions for medical cannabis, and to evaluate the quality of identified recent systematic reviews. Methods: Literature search was conducted from five databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane, and ClinicalTrials.gov), with expansion and update from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s (NASEM) comprehensive evidence review through 2016 of the health effects of cannabis on several conditions. Following consultation with experts and stakeholders, 11 conditions were identified for ...
Abstracts from the 2021 Virtual Scientific Meeting of the Research Society on Marijuana July 23rd, 2021, 2022
Negative consequences associated with excessive use of cannabis are well documented. Previous fin... more Negative consequences associated with excessive use of cannabis are well documented. Previous findings indicate timing of use is an important factor when assessing severity of dependence for use of substances including alcohol and cigarettes. However, little attention in the academic literature has been paid to timing of cannabis use and its associations with negative consequences. The present study employed a latent class analysis on data collected from college students who use cannabis, located across four U.S. universities in four different states (N = 1,122). The goal was to examine whether distinct classifications of cannabis use exist based on timing (i.e., hour of day and day of week), and whether these classifications differ on cannabis use indicators (Marijuana Use Grid; MUG), cannabis-related negative consequences (Marijuana Consequences Questionnaire; MACQ), and cannabis use disorder symptoms (Cannabis Use Disorder Identification Test-Revised; CUDIT-R). The MUG assesses t...
Clinical cardiology, 2018
Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) carries a significant morbidity and mortality. Women are more c... more Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) carries a significant morbidity and mortality. Women are more commonly affected with this condition and are mostly asymptomatic, and undertreated. The objective of the study was to develop and validate a simple risk score to identify women with PAD. Identifying those at early stage of the disease could help reduce the risk of complications. Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2004, we identified women who had data on ankle brachial index. The cohort was divided into development (70%) and validation (30%) groups. Using variables that are self-reported or measured without laboratory data, we developed a multivariable logistic regression to predict PAD, which was evaluated in the validation cohort. A total of 150.6 million women were included. A diagnosis of PAD was reported in 13.7%. Age, body mass index, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, smoking, non-oral contraceptive pill usage, and parity were all independently...
American journal of public health, 2017
Abstracts from the 2021 Virtual Scientific Meeting of the Research Society on Marijuana July 23rd, 2021, 2022
Background: Chronic pain has become a leading public health concern with roughly 20% of Americans... more Background: Chronic pain has become a leading public health concern with roughly 20% of Americans currently living with chronic pain. Individuals living with chronic pain are more likely to report lower quality of life, additional comorbidity, and increased medical expenditures than individuals without pain. Many individuals have initiated cannabis use to manage their pain as an alternative to opioid use. However, studies examining associations between cannabis use and pain intensity rarely include the frequency of cannabis. Aim: Our study aim was to address this scientific gap by elucidating the frequency of cannabis use and its association with pain intensity in an adult sample from across the United States. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, we surveyed N=2,206 adults using three sampling approaches, a national panel, a Florida panel, and a community-engaged sample. Participants completed surveys including pain and substance use. Pain intensity was measured using the Pain Inten...
Abstracts from the 2021 Virtual Scientific Meeting of the Research Society on Marijuana July 23rd, 2021, 2022
Chronic pain is presently the most expensive disease condition in the United States; with roughly... more Chronic pain is presently the most expensive disease condition in the United States; with roughly 1 in 5 Americans currently reporting chronic pain. Traditionally, clinicians and patients have utilized prescription medications to manage chronic pain, however, attitudes towards standardized prescription treatment have waned due to a number of factors including the recent opioid epidemic. Consequently, attitudes towards marijuana use as an alternative pain therapy have continued to grow with 36 states approving use for medical purposes. Clinical trials have reported lower pain severity scores among participants receiving marijuana for pain compared to participants in the control arms. However, little is known regarding the psychological/physiological mechanisms by which marijuana provides relief for chronic pain. Research is also needed to identify how current marijuana users developed optimal patterns (i.e. dose, frequency, and quantity) of use for chronic pain. We sought to address ...
Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, 2020
Introduction: Approximately 70% of individuals living with cancer experience persistent pain. Pre... more Introduction: Approximately 70% of individuals living with cancer experience persistent pain. Previous studies showed racial/ethnic differences existing across various cancer-related outcomes. Yet, few studies have examined the racial/ethnic differences in worst pain intensity among cancer patients. Thus, the goal of this secondary data analysis was to identify predictors of worst pain intensity, including race/ethnicity, and cancer stage in a diverse sample. Methodology: A convenience sample of cancer patients (N=1,516) recruited from cancer centers in the Western and Midwestern United States completed questionnaires collecting demographic, chronic pain, and cancer-specific information. In addition to race and ethnicity, covariates for the linear regression included: other demographic characteristics, tumor stage, cancer type, cancer stage, and substance use. The study outcome, worst pain intensity, was measured on 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst pain) scale and was captured using a valid...
Journal of Adolescence, 2017
This study tested the complex relationship among the perceived benefit from and cost of condom us... more This study tested the complex relationship among the perceived benefit from and cost of condom use, self-efficacy and condom use among adolescents as a nonlinear dynamic process. Participants were 12th graders in public Bahamian high schools who reported having had sex and frequency of condom use. Results revealed that the perceived benefit and perceived cost as asymmetry variables were significantly associated with condom use (p < 0.001) after controlling for covariates. The association was bifurcated by the variable self-efficacy (p < 0.001). Furthermore, the cusp model was better than linear and logistic regression models in predicting the dynamic changes in condom use behavior, judged by the AIC and BIC, and R 2 criteria. These results suggest that adolescent condom use may follow a nonlinear rather than linear dynamic process. Emphasizing bifurcation variables such as self-efficacy that promote sudden change could be essential to strengthen current evidence-based intervention programs in encouraging condom use.
Cannabis
Therapeutic and recreational marijuana use are common among people living with HIV (PLWH). Howeve... more Therapeutic and recreational marijuana use are common among people living with HIV (PLWH). However, the distinction between perceived "therapeutic" and "recreational" use is blurred, with little information about the specific reasons for use and perceived marijuana effectiveness in adults with chronic conditions. We aimed to compare reasons for use and reason-specific perceived marijuana effectiveness between therapeutic and recreational users among PLWH. In 2018-2019, 213 PLWH currently using marijuana (mean age 48 years, 59% male, 69% African American) completed a questionnaire assessing their specific reasons for using marijuana, including the "main reason." Participants were categorized into one of three motivation groups: therapeutic, recreational, or both equally. For each specific reason, participants rated marijuana effectiveness as 0-10, with 10 being the most effective. The mean effectiveness scores were compared across the three motivation gr...
Background People living with HIV (PLWH) are more likely to suffer from pain compared to the gene... more Background People living with HIV (PLWH) are more likely to suffer from pain compared to the general public. Pain often clusters with mental health symptoms and substance use. This study sought to evaluate mental health and substance use factors associated with and pain and severe pain intensities among PLWH. Methods Data were derived from HIV+ adults (N=733) recruited from community health centers across Florida who completed questionnaires regarding demographics, chronic pain, HIV clinical outcomes, mental health symptoms, and substance use information. Pain was assessed using the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) short form. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was utilized to assess the relationship between selected covariates and pain. Results Approximately half (45.0%) of participants reported having current pain. After controlling for covariates, PLWH reporting current symptoms of anxiety or PTSD were 2.49 (CI=1.48, 4.18) and 1.69 (CI= 1.11, 2.57) times as likely to report pain...
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
Medical Cannabis and Cannabinoids
In 2017, a National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) report comprehensive... more In 2017, a National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) report comprehensively evaluated the body of evidence regarding cannabis health effects through the year 2016. The objectives of this study are to identify and map the most recently (2016–2019) published literature across approved conditions for medical cannabis and to evaluate the quality of identified recent systematic reviews, published following the NASEM report. Following the literature search from 5 databases and consultation with experts, 11 conditions were identified for evidence compilation and evaluation: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, autism, cancer, chronic noncancer pain, Crohn’s disease, epilepsy, glaucoma, human immunodeficiency virus/AIDS, multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s disease, and posttraumatic stress disorder. A total of 198 studies were included after screening for condition-specific relevance and after imposing the following exclusion criteria: preclinical focus, non-English langu...
Addiction Research & Theory
Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology
Cannabis, Feb 7, 2023
Background: Understanding, predicting, and reducing the harms associated with cannabis use is an ... more Background: Understanding, predicting, and reducing the harms associated with cannabis use is an important field of study. Timing (i.e., hour of day and day of week) of substance use is an established risk factor of severity of dependence. However, there has been little attention paid to morning use of cannabis and its associations with negative consequences. Objectives: The goal of the present study was to examine whether distinct classifications of cannabis use habits exist based on timing, and whether these classifications differ on cannabis use indicators, motives for using cannabis, use of protective behavioral strategies, and cannabis-related negative outcomes. Methods: Latent class analyses were conducted on four independent samples of college student cannabis users (Project MOST 1, N=2,056; Project MOST 2, N=1846; Project PSST, N=1,971; Project CABS, N=1,122). Results: Results determined that a 5-class solution best fit the data within each independent sample consisting of the classes: (1) "Daily-morning use", (2) "Daily-non-morning use", (3) "Weekend-morning use", (4) "Weekend-night use", and (5) "Weekendevening use." Classes endorsing daily and/or morning use reported greater use, negative consequences and motives, while those endorsing weekend and/or non-morning use reported the most adaptive outcomes (i.e., reduced frequency/quantity of use, fewer consequences experienced, and fewer cannabis use disorder symptoms endorsed). Conclusions: Recreational daily use as well as morning use may be associated with greater negative consequences, and there is evidence that most college students who use cannabis do avoid these types of use. The results of the present study offer evidence that timing of cannabis use may be a pertinent factor in determining harms associated with use.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
Cannabis use continues to escalate among emerging adults and college attendance may be a risk fac... more Cannabis use continues to escalate among emerging adults and college attendance may be a risk factor for use. Severe cases of cannabis use can escalate to a cannabis use disorder, which is associated with worse psychosocial functioning. Predictors of cannabis use consequences and cannabis use disorder symptom severity have been identified; however, they typically employ a narrow set of predictors and rely on linear models. Machine learning is well suited for exploratory data analyses of high-dimensional data. This study applied decision tree learning to identify predictors of cannabis user status, negative cannabis-related consequences, and cannabis use disorder symptoms. Undergraduate college students (N = 7000) were recruited from nine universities in nine states across the U.S. Among the 7 trees, 24 splits created by 15 distinct predictors were identified. Consistent with prior research, one's beliefs about cannabis were strong predictors of user status. Negative reinforcement cannabis use motives were the most consistent predictors of cannabis use disorder symptoms, and past month cannabis use was the most consistent predictor of probable cannabis use disorder. Typical frequency of cannabis use was the only predictor of negative cannabis-related consequences. Our results demonstrate that decision trees are a useful methodological tool for identifying targets for future clinical research.
Abstracts from the 2020 Virtual Scientific Meeting of the Research Society on Marijuana July 24th, 2020, 2021
Background: Medical cannabis is available to patients by physician order in two-thirds of the Uni... more Background: Medical cannabis is available to patients by physician order in two-thirds of the United States (U.S.) as of 2020, but remains classified as an illicit substance by federal law. States that permit medical cannabis ordered by a physician typically require a diagnosed medical condition that is considered qualifying by respective state law. Objectives: To identify and map the most recently (2016-2019) published clinical and scientific literature across approved conditions for medical cannabis, and to evaluate the quality of identified recent systematic reviews. Methods: Literature search was conducted from five databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane, and ClinicalTrials.gov), with expansion and update from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s (NASEM) comprehensive evidence review through 2016 of the health effects of cannabis on several conditions. Following consultation with experts and stakeholders, 11 conditions were identified for ...
Abstracts from the 2021 Virtual Scientific Meeting of the Research Society on Marijuana July 23rd, 2021, 2022
Negative consequences associated with excessive use of cannabis are well documented. Previous fin... more Negative consequences associated with excessive use of cannabis are well documented. Previous findings indicate timing of use is an important factor when assessing severity of dependence for use of substances including alcohol and cigarettes. However, little attention in the academic literature has been paid to timing of cannabis use and its associations with negative consequences. The present study employed a latent class analysis on data collected from college students who use cannabis, located across four U.S. universities in four different states (N = 1,122). The goal was to examine whether distinct classifications of cannabis use exist based on timing (i.e., hour of day and day of week), and whether these classifications differ on cannabis use indicators (Marijuana Use Grid; MUG), cannabis-related negative consequences (Marijuana Consequences Questionnaire; MACQ), and cannabis use disorder symptoms (Cannabis Use Disorder Identification Test-Revised; CUDIT-R). The MUG assesses t...
Clinical cardiology, 2018
Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) carries a significant morbidity and mortality. Women are more c... more Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) carries a significant morbidity and mortality. Women are more commonly affected with this condition and are mostly asymptomatic, and undertreated. The objective of the study was to develop and validate a simple risk score to identify women with PAD. Identifying those at early stage of the disease could help reduce the risk of complications. Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2004, we identified women who had data on ankle brachial index. The cohort was divided into development (70%) and validation (30%) groups. Using variables that are self-reported or measured without laboratory data, we developed a multivariable logistic regression to predict PAD, which was evaluated in the validation cohort. A total of 150.6 million women were included. A diagnosis of PAD was reported in 13.7%. Age, body mass index, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, smoking, non-oral contraceptive pill usage, and parity were all independently...
American journal of public health, 2017
Abstracts from the 2021 Virtual Scientific Meeting of the Research Society on Marijuana July 23rd, 2021, 2022
Background: Chronic pain has become a leading public health concern with roughly 20% of Americans... more Background: Chronic pain has become a leading public health concern with roughly 20% of Americans currently living with chronic pain. Individuals living with chronic pain are more likely to report lower quality of life, additional comorbidity, and increased medical expenditures than individuals without pain. Many individuals have initiated cannabis use to manage their pain as an alternative to opioid use. However, studies examining associations between cannabis use and pain intensity rarely include the frequency of cannabis. Aim: Our study aim was to address this scientific gap by elucidating the frequency of cannabis use and its association with pain intensity in an adult sample from across the United States. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, we surveyed N=2,206 adults using three sampling approaches, a national panel, a Florida panel, and a community-engaged sample. Participants completed surveys including pain and substance use. Pain intensity was measured using the Pain Inten...
Abstracts from the 2021 Virtual Scientific Meeting of the Research Society on Marijuana July 23rd, 2021, 2022
Chronic pain is presently the most expensive disease condition in the United States; with roughly... more Chronic pain is presently the most expensive disease condition in the United States; with roughly 1 in 5 Americans currently reporting chronic pain. Traditionally, clinicians and patients have utilized prescription medications to manage chronic pain, however, attitudes towards standardized prescription treatment have waned due to a number of factors including the recent opioid epidemic. Consequently, attitudes towards marijuana use as an alternative pain therapy have continued to grow with 36 states approving use for medical purposes. Clinical trials have reported lower pain severity scores among participants receiving marijuana for pain compared to participants in the control arms. However, little is known regarding the psychological/physiological mechanisms by which marijuana provides relief for chronic pain. Research is also needed to identify how current marijuana users developed optimal patterns (i.e. dose, frequency, and quantity) of use for chronic pain. We sought to address ...
Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, 2020
Introduction: Approximately 70% of individuals living with cancer experience persistent pain. Pre... more Introduction: Approximately 70% of individuals living with cancer experience persistent pain. Previous studies showed racial/ethnic differences existing across various cancer-related outcomes. Yet, few studies have examined the racial/ethnic differences in worst pain intensity among cancer patients. Thus, the goal of this secondary data analysis was to identify predictors of worst pain intensity, including race/ethnicity, and cancer stage in a diverse sample. Methodology: A convenience sample of cancer patients (N=1,516) recruited from cancer centers in the Western and Midwestern United States completed questionnaires collecting demographic, chronic pain, and cancer-specific information. In addition to race and ethnicity, covariates for the linear regression included: other demographic characteristics, tumor stage, cancer type, cancer stage, and substance use. The study outcome, worst pain intensity, was measured on 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst pain) scale and was captured using a valid...
Journal of Adolescence, 2017
This study tested the complex relationship among the perceived benefit from and cost of condom us... more This study tested the complex relationship among the perceived benefit from and cost of condom use, self-efficacy and condom use among adolescents as a nonlinear dynamic process. Participants were 12th graders in public Bahamian high schools who reported having had sex and frequency of condom use. Results revealed that the perceived benefit and perceived cost as asymmetry variables were significantly associated with condom use (p < 0.001) after controlling for covariates. The association was bifurcated by the variable self-efficacy (p < 0.001). Furthermore, the cusp model was better than linear and logistic regression models in predicting the dynamic changes in condom use behavior, judged by the AIC and BIC, and R 2 criteria. These results suggest that adolescent condom use may follow a nonlinear rather than linear dynamic process. Emphasizing bifurcation variables such as self-efficacy that promote sudden change could be essential to strengthen current evidence-based intervention programs in encouraging condom use.
Cannabis
Therapeutic and recreational marijuana use are common among people living with HIV (PLWH). Howeve... more Therapeutic and recreational marijuana use are common among people living with HIV (PLWH). However, the distinction between perceived "therapeutic" and "recreational" use is blurred, with little information about the specific reasons for use and perceived marijuana effectiveness in adults with chronic conditions. We aimed to compare reasons for use and reason-specific perceived marijuana effectiveness between therapeutic and recreational users among PLWH. In 2018-2019, 213 PLWH currently using marijuana (mean age 48 years, 59% male, 69% African American) completed a questionnaire assessing their specific reasons for using marijuana, including the "main reason." Participants were categorized into one of three motivation groups: therapeutic, recreational, or both equally. For each specific reason, participants rated marijuana effectiveness as 0-10, with 10 being the most effective. The mean effectiveness scores were compared across the three motivation gr...
Background People living with HIV (PLWH) are more likely to suffer from pain compared to the gene... more Background People living with HIV (PLWH) are more likely to suffer from pain compared to the general public. Pain often clusters with mental health symptoms and substance use. This study sought to evaluate mental health and substance use factors associated with and pain and severe pain intensities among PLWH. Methods Data were derived from HIV+ adults (N=733) recruited from community health centers across Florida who completed questionnaires regarding demographics, chronic pain, HIV clinical outcomes, mental health symptoms, and substance use information. Pain was assessed using the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) short form. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was utilized to assess the relationship between selected covariates and pain. Results Approximately half (45.0%) of participants reported having current pain. After controlling for covariates, PLWH reporting current symptoms of anxiety or PTSD were 2.49 (CI=1.48, 4.18) and 1.69 (CI= 1.11, 2.57) times as likely to report pain...
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
Medical Cannabis and Cannabinoids
In 2017, a National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) report comprehensive... more In 2017, a National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) report comprehensively evaluated the body of evidence regarding cannabis health effects through the year 2016. The objectives of this study are to identify and map the most recently (2016–2019) published literature across approved conditions for medical cannabis and to evaluate the quality of identified recent systematic reviews, published following the NASEM report. Following the literature search from 5 databases and consultation with experts, 11 conditions were identified for evidence compilation and evaluation: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, autism, cancer, chronic noncancer pain, Crohn’s disease, epilepsy, glaucoma, human immunodeficiency virus/AIDS, multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s disease, and posttraumatic stress disorder. A total of 198 studies were included after screening for condition-specific relevance and after imposing the following exclusion criteria: preclinical focus, non-English langu...