What topics does this cannabis study cover?

This study covers research on: Addiction.

Where was this research published?

Published in American journal of public health on August 20, 2026.

Public aid may soften the link between pregnancy stress and substance use

Q: What did this research study find?

*Economic stress* was associated with higher prenatal use of alcohol, tobacco, opioids, or cannabis (**OR = 1.41; 95% CI, 1.33–1.50**).

Economic Stress and Substance Use During Pregnancy: The Buffering Role of Public Assistance Programs.

American journal of public health • August 20, 2026 • Moderately Relevant

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AI Summary

This study examined whether public assistance programs lessen the link between economic stress and substance use during pregnancy. Researchers analyzed first-visit data from 1,422 pregnant participants in the 27-site HEALthy Brain and Child Development cohort. Across the sample, greater economic stress was associated with higher odds of using alcohol, tobacco, opioids, or cannabis during pregnancy (OR = 1.41; 95% CI, 1.33–1.50).

The association was strongest among participants receiving no public assistance and remained positive among those receiving low or medium levels of assistance. In the highest assistance category, the relationship was negative (OR = 0.70; 95% CI, 0.50–0.97), suggesting that stronger access to safety-net programs may weaken the connection between financial hardship and prenatal substance use. However, the abstract reports combined substance-use results, so it does not show whether public assistance specifically changes cannabis use alone. The findings highlight the potential importance of maintaining access to support programs for pregnant people experiencing financial stress.

💡 Key Findings

Economic stress was associated with higher prenatal use of alcohol, tobacco, opioids, or cannabis (OR = 1.41; 95% CI, 1.33–1.50).

Good

75%

The stress–substance-use association was strongest among participants receiving no public assistance and remained positive in low- and medium-assistance groups.

Good

70%

Among participants receiving the highest level of assistance, the association was negative (OR = 0.70; 95% CI, 0.50–0.97), suggesting that broader safety-net access may buffer the relationship between financial stress and prenatal substance use.

Good

70%

Because the analysis combined alcohol, tobacco, opioids, and cannabis, the abstract does not establish a cannabis-specific effect of public assistance.

High

90%

📄 Original Abstract

Objectives. To examine whether receipt of public assistance among pregnant populations moderates the association between economic stress and prenatal substance use. Methods. The HEALthy Brain and Child Development (HBCD) Study is a 27-site ongoing US longitudinal cohort investigation. We analyzed 2023-2024 data from 1422 pregnant participants who completed their first HBCD visits. We used logistic regression to examine the association between economic stress and substance use (alcohol, tobacco, opioids, cannabis) during pregnancy, stratified by number of public assistance programs from which participants received benefits. Results. Economic stress was positively associated with substance use (odds ratio [OR] = 1.41; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.33, 1.50). This relationship was strongest among participants with no public assistance (OR = 1.25; 95% CI = 1.05, 1.44) and remained positive in the low- and medium-assistance groups; however, it was negative in the highest receipt category (OR = 0.70; 95% CI = 0.50, 0.97). Conclusions. Our findings suggest that increased receipt of public assistance corresponded to a weaker association between economic stress and substance use during pregnancy. Public Health Implications. Reduced access to safety-net programs may compound economic stressors related to prenatal substance use, with potential downstream implications for maternal and child outcomes. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print August 20, 2026:e1-e10. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2026.308628).

Paper Type

📄 Research

Publication

Journal: American journal of public health
Published: August 20, 2026
PMID: 42623578
DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2026.308628

Authors (4)

Veronica Brtek At the time this work was initiated, Veronica Brtek, Xingya Ma, and Ludmila N. Bakhireva were with the Substance Use Research and Education Center, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque. Ludmila N. Bakhireva is now with the School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, California. Pilar Sanjuan was with the Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque.
Xingya Ma At the time this work was initiated, Veronica Brtek, Xingya Ma, and Ludmila N. Bakhireva were with the Substance Use Research and Education Center, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque. Ludmila N. Bakhireva is now with the School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, California. Pilar Sanjuan was with the Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque.
Pilar Sanjuan At the time this work was initiated, Veronica Brtek, Xingya Ma, and Ludmila N. Bakhireva were with the Substance Use Research and Education Center, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque. Ludmila N. Bakhireva is now with the School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, California. Pilar Sanjuan was with the Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque.
Ludmila N Bakhireva At the time this work was initiated, Veronica Brtek, Xingya Ma, and Ludmila N. Bakhireva were with the Substance Use Research and Education Center, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque. Ludmila N. Bakhireva is now with the School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, California. Pilar Sanjuan was with the Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque.