Prevalence and Gender-Specific Predictors for the Use of Marijuana in the General Population of the Metropolitan Area of Lima, Peru: an Analysis of Contextual and Individual Factors

Marijuana is the illegal drug most consumed in Peru and gender-specific predictors have not yet been identified in the general population. This information will be relevant for increasing the knowledge of processes involved in marijuana use. This research has the objective of identifying gender-specific predictive factors for marijuana use in the general population of Lima. The study was cross-sectional, descriptive, and analytical, and used the database of the Study on Drug Prevention and Consumption in the General Population of Metropolitan Lima and Callao—2013. The sample consisted of 18,562 randomly selected participants from 12 to 65 years of age. Descriptive analyzes and logistic regressions were used for complex samples. In general, statistically significant differences were found between males and females in the last 12-month prevalence of marijuana use. For both genders, the perceived access to marijuana was the strongest predictor for marijuana use in the last year. In males, the age group of 30 to 65 years had protective effects against the use of marijuana. On the other hand, illegal drug use in the neighborhood, low risk perception of regular use of marijuana, and low risk perception of occasional use of marijuana were identified as risk factors. In females, the age groups of 19 to 29 years and 30 to 65 years were identified as protective factors. Furthermore, low risk perception of occasional use marijuana was determined as a predictor of marijuana use. The results show differences and similarities between males and females in identifying gender-specific predictors. These findings suggest the need to consider gender-specific risk factors in the design and implementation of preventive programs for marijuana use.