Investigating the Decision-Making Process of Physicians in Rural Ontario: The Perspectives and Attitudes on Medical Cannabis

This thesis will guide health communities to better understand the clinical decision-making process that physicians from rural Ontario undergo when considering whether to prescribe medical cannabis to patients for their medical condition. Very few studies have been conducted which examine the perspectives of physicians on medical cannabis, especially in rural areas, and these studies have found that most physicians are skeptical towards medical cannabis. This skeptical perspective of physicians has complicated the clinical decision-making process as “recent changes in media reports and changing trends in social media propose a change in the attitudes towards cannabis (Zolotov et al., 2018, p.5).” Physicians practicing in rural Ontario are currently being recruited to participate in semi-structured interviews to explore the issues which they prioritize the most. Once completed, the findings from this study will identify common themes and trends that could help influence change in physician practice and healthcare policy.