Geographic ecological momentary assessment methods to examine spatio-temporal exposures associated with marijuana use among young adults: A pilot study

Background: This study demonstrates the use of geographic ecological momentary assessment (GEMA) methods among young adult marijuana users. Method: Participants were 14 current marijuana users ages 21-27 living in Greater Seattle, Washington. They completed brief surveys four times per day for 14 consecutive days, including measures of marijuana use and desire to use. They also carried a GPS data logger that tracked their spatial movements over time. Results: Participants completed 80.1% of possible EMA surveys. Using the GPS data, we calculated daily number of exposures to (i.e., within 100-m of) marijuana retail outlets (mean = 3.9 times per day; SD = 4.4) and time spent per day in high poverty census tracts (mean = 7.3 h per day in high poverty census tracts; SD = 5.1). Conclusions: GEMA may be a promising approach for studying the role spatio-temporal factors play in marijuana use and related factors.