Objective: To identify perceptions of cannabis use and risk among maternal health providers who provide care for people who use cannabis during pregnancy in safety-net health settings.Methods: Using qualitative, constructivist ground theory methods, we conducted semistructured remote interviews with 10 providers (2 midwives, 6 OB/GYN physicians, and 2 OB/GYN residents) in Southern California, United States, between March 15, 2022, and April 6, 2022.We selected participants through selective sampling using photos de carhartt wip store toulouse a convenience sample and snowball approach.Providers were eligible for the study if they self-reported via survey to being a maternal health provider (e.
g., physician, doula, midwife, and so on) providing care in a safety-net health setting and had cared for people who used cannabis during pregnancy in the last year.Analysis drew upon grounded theory methods to document the socio-structural contexts that contribute to provider perceptions about cannabis.This study was approved by the University of Southern California Institutional Review Board (UP-21-00282-AM009).
Results: We identified three categories of provider perceptions of cannabis use and risk during pregnancy: (1) Relying on self-education, (2) Taking a case-by-case approach, and (3) Avoiding cannabis discussions to maintain an alliance with patients.Findings indicate that provider reluctance to counsel patients about cannabis in favor of preserving a therapeutic relationship can overlook the lack of resources and access to health care alternatives available to low-income patients that can shape self-medicating.Conclusions: Nonpunitive policies and training on cannabis use are critical steps for supporting providers to counsel patients who use cannabis during pregnancy, alongside a harm reduction approach that acknowledges the broader socio-structural contexts and barriers facing patients billionaire boys club discount code 2023 who disclose use.