Home Knowledgebase Cannabis Health Are men or women in Australia more likely to be hospitalised due to cannabis use?

Are men or women in Australia more likely to be hospitalised due to cannabis use?

Men accounted for more hospital separations due to cannabis use disorders than women in 2020-21.

Men accounted for 61% (n=4,548) of all hospital separations due to cannabis use in Australia and women accounted for 39% (n=2,923).

Source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). National Hospital Morbidity Database, 2020-21 (NCETA secondary analysis, 2022).

Cannabis Use Disorder: A disease, disorder or condition which was directly caused by the individual’s own cannabis use.

Hospital Separation: An episode of care for an admitted patient, which can be:

a total hospital stay (from admission to discharge, transfer or death); or
a portion of a hospital stay beginning or ending in a change of type of care (for example, from acute to rehabilitation).

Separation also means the process by which an admitted patient completes an episode of care either by being discharged, transferring to another hospital, changing type of care, or dying.