Opioids and Opioid Mortality
The number of fatal and non-fatal opioid-related toxicity events has risen dramatically over the past decade in Ontario. PHO has collaborated with the Ontario Drug Policy Research Network (ODPRN) and the Office of the Chief Coroner for Ontario/Ontario Forensic Pathology Service (OCC/OFPS) to examine the circumstances that contribute to opioid-related mortality in Ontario in order to better understand and address the unique needs of Ontarians who may be exposed to opioids.
Please see our most recent work below.
Featured
Report on Lives lost to opioid toxicity among Ontarians who worked in the construction industry
This report describes the characteristics of opioid toxicity deaths among Ontarians who worked in the construction industry, in comparison with individuals with no employment history in construction. Data in this report is from July 1, 2017 and December 31, 2020, and was obtained by the OCC/OFPS from investigations of confirmed and suspected opioid-related deaths in Ontario.
Report on Patterns of Medication and Healthcare Use among People who Died of an Opioid-Related Toxicity During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Ontario
This report describes the characteristics of people who died of an opioid-related poisoning in Ontario during the pandemic, as well as their patterns of health care use prior to death. It is a follow up to a previous report that ODPRN, OCC/OFPS and PHO published in May 2021.Report on Changing Circumstances Surrounding Opioid-Related Deaths
This report describes patterns surrounding opioid-related deaths that occurred in Ontario during the COVID-19 pandemic up to the end of December 2020. It is a follow up to the preliminary report that ODPRN, OCC/OFPS and PHO published in November 2020.Report on Patterns of Medication and Healthcare Use among People who Died of an Opioid-Related Toxicity During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Ontario
This report describes the characteristics of people who died of an opioid-related poisoning in Ontario during the pandemic, as well as their patterns of health care use prior to death. It is a follow up to a previous report that ODPRN, OCC/OFPS and PHO published in May 2021.
Opioid-Related Deaths in Ontario during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Physical distancing measures intended to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 may have led to unintended harms. The report analyzes recent trends in opioid-related deaths and compares circumstances of death between two groups: a pandemic cohort and a pre-pandemic cohort. The data was obtained by the OCC/OFPS from investigations of confirmed and suspected opioid-related deaths in Ontario. The Centre on Drug Policy Evaluation also co-authored this report.2019 Opioid Mortality Surveillance Report
This report describes the trends and characteristics of confirmed opioid-related deaths in Ontario between July 1, 2017 and June 30, 2018. Key knowledge users representing the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health, local public health units, community health centres and people with lived and living experience of pain or substance use informed the development of the report.
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