The relationship between substance use and physical activity in people living with HIV, chronic pain and symptoms of depression: a cross-sectional analysis
According to data published in the journal AIDS Care, cannabis use is associated with higher levels of physical activity in HIV-positive patients.
A team of researchers from Brown University in Rhode Island and Boston University School of Public Health assessed the relationship between self-reported substance use and physical activity in a cohort of patients HIV positive.
Investigators reported that those who reported using cannabis were significantly more likely to be physically active than patients who did not.
They reported that “the average estimated level of vigorous METs (metabolic equivalent of task units) was 6,25 times higher in people who used cannabis than in those who did not. »
The researchers hypothesized that the ability of cannabis to lessen HIV-associated symptoms, such as pain, might facilitate greater engagement in physical activity.
The results are consistent with several previous studies reporting a positive association between cannabis use and exercise, particularly in the elderly.
Chronic pain, depression and substance use are common among people living with HIV (PLHIV). Physical activity can improve pain and Mental Health.
This cross-sectional analysis examined the relationships between self-reported substance use (alcohol, cannabis, and nicotine use), gender, and age with self-reports of walking, moderate physical activity, and vigorous physical activity, converted into the metabolic equivalent of the task.
Among 187 adults living with HIV, chronic pain and depressive symptoms in the United States. Women reported less walking, vigorous activity and total physical activity than men. People who used cannabis reported more vigorous physical activity compared to those who did not.
These results were partly explained by interactions between substance use and gender: male cannabis users reported more vigorous activity than all other groups, and women who consumed alcohol reported walking less than men with and without alcohol consumption.
Research is needed to increase physical activity in women who use substances and to assess the reasons for the relationship between substance use and physical activity in men.
