Validity of Self-Reported Cannabis Use Based on Urine Toxicology Measures in a Population-Based Pregnancy Cohort in Michigan
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21646124 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Ban Al-Sahab (0009-0001-4005-1748, Michigan State University, corresponding author), Omayma Alshaarawy (0000-0002-5968-0245, Michigan State University), Kennedy Quinn (Michigan State University), Jean M Kerver (0000-0001-5006-3622, Michigan State University), Kipling M Bohnert (Michigan State University), Audriyana Jaber (Michigan State University), Nigel Paneth (0000-0002-0151-966X, Michigan State University) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Pages | 1-8 |
| Publication date | 2026-05-11 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Substance Use & Misuse (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1082-6084 • E-ISSN: 1532-2491 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/10826084.2026.2670606 |
| PMID | 42116667 |
| OpenAlex | W7160902719 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 29 |
BACKGROUND: Prenatal cannabis use may be underreported due to social stigma and fear of legal repercussions. The study assesses the validity of self-reported prenatal cannabis use versus urine toxicology measures and determines correlates of non-disclosure. METHODS: Data are from a statewide population-based pregnancy cohort (MARCH- Michigan Archive for Research on Child Health). Participants were recruited at first prenatal visit from 22 clinics in 2017-2023. We calculated sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive values (PPV), negative predictive values (NPV) of self-reported cannabis use using urine toxicology as the criterion standard. RESULTS: 606 participants who self-reported cannabis use data within 30 days of urine collection were considered for analysis. Self-reports identified a prevalence of 14.2% for prenatal cannabis use, whereas urinalysis prevalence was 19.1%. Sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of self-report were 57.8%, 96.1%, 77.9% and 90.6%, respectively. No significant differences were observed between participants who disclosed and those who did not, except for race and ethnicity. The sensitivity of self-reports among Non-Hispanic Blacks was 45.5% compared to 73.0% for their non-Hispanic White counterparts. CONCLUSIONS: Self-reports can underestimate prenatal cannabis use especially among disadvantaged populations. The use of biospecimens to assess cannabis exposure is warranted for reducing misclassification and improving validity in research studies
Cannabis · Cohort · Cohort study · Predictive validity · Pregnancy · Urinalysis · Urine · Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research · Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum · Prenatal Substance Exposure Effects · Epidemiology
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |