Tailored Insights: Qualitative Analysis of Cannabis Use

This post shows how to convert a PLOS ONE mixed-methods study (n=200, published June 26, 2026) into reproducible thematic and cross-segment insights and how to run a 2-week Evidano pilot to reproduce the paper’s qualitative synthesis.

• The PLOS ONE study (n=200; mean age 21.45) found 22% past-month cannabis use and a significant association between cannabis use and substance- or alcohol-influenced sex (Poisson PR = 1.24, 95% CI: 1.09–1.41).
• The original study combined tablet surveys, routine clinic lab results, and 30 semi-structured Thai-language interviews, which supports integrated mixed-methods coding and cross-segment analysis.
• The article maps a reproducible 2-week workflow to ingest surveys and transcripts, run auto-theme extraction and cross-segment summaries, then generate stakeholder deliverables using Evidano.

Fast take: A mixed-methods PLOS ONE study published June 26, 2026 (n=200; mean age 21.45) found 22% past-month cannabis use among clinic-attending young adults in Bangkok and a significant association between cannabis use and substance- or alcohol-influenced sex (Poisson PR = 1.24, 95% CI: 1.09–1.41).

• Why this matters: qualitative quotes reveal perceived disinhibition, but users often cite personal responsibility, a split that matters for messaging and intervention design.
• What you’ll get from this post: a compact thematic analysis plan, role-specific implications, and a reproducible 2-week pilot you can run in Evidano.
• Source: PLOS ONE.

The study used a sequential mixed-methods design combining a tablet-based self-report survey, routine clinic lab results, and semi-structured interviews to explain numeric associations with context.

Design: sequential mixed-methods, a tablet-based self-report survey (Nov 27, 2023–Mar 29, 2024) of 200 clinic clients plus 30 semi-structured interviews (May–Sep 2024).

• Quant: demographics, sexual behaviour, PrEP adherence, CUDIT-R scores, and routine lab results (HIV/STIs).
• Qual: 30 Thai-language interviews transcribed and coded; thematic analysis used to interpret contexts behind numeric associations.
• Main quantitative outcome: cannabis users more likely to report alcohol- or substance-influenced sex; no statistical link to condomless sex, PrEP adherence, or STI results in this sample.

This 2-week pilot workflow reproduces the paper’s qualitative synthesis by ingesting survey and lab data, transcribing interviews, extracting themes, and producing stakeholder-ready outputs.

Week 1, ingest & prep:

• Day 1: Upload survey CSV and lab results; map participant IDs to transcripts.
• Day 2–3: Upload audio files; run transcription with custom Thai dictionary and PII redaction.
• Day 4: Run automated theme extraction and configure codebook (inspired by study codes: disinhibition, personal responsibility, co-use).

Week 2, analyse & deliver:

• Day 6–8: Review auto-coded segments, adjust rules, and merge subcodes (e.g., 'alcohol-influenced sex').
• Day 9: Run cross-segment frequency and PR-like summaries to compare themes by cannabis-use status.
• Day 10–11: Generate visuals and export a stakeholder brief; use Evidano chat to draft clinic messaging and a one-page harm-reduction checklist.

This article recommends replicating the study’s triangulation strategy on your own corpus, pairing quick surveys with targeted interviews, then running thematic and cross-segment analyses to reveal mechanisms behind numerical associations.

• If you run clinic-based research, start with the 2-week pilot above and use outputs to design non-stigmatizing harm-reduction messages.
• Ready to try this in Evidano? Try Evidano for free and bring your transcripts, surveys, and codebook; we’ll help you go from raw data to stakeholder-ready insights in days.