First Nations Community-Specific Reports on the Opioid Crisis
The Chiefs of Ontario (COO) is presently engaged in a collaborative effort with researchers from ICES and the Ontario Drug Policy Research Network (ODPRN) through research grants. This initiative aims to investigate the utilization of opioids and the associated negative effects among individuals belonging to the First Nations communities in Ontario.
The research initiative focuses on various aspects related to opioid use among First Nations individuals in Ontario. It aims to consider factors such as geographic variations, mental health diagnoses, healthcare access, age, gender, and comparisons to the general population. Furthermore, the project seeks to establish effective methods for transferring knowledge to the communities involved.
Overview
Opioid-related harms continue to be a national public health crisis in Canada that disproportionately affect First Nation Peoples and communities. A public report developed by the Chiefs of Ontario (COO) and Ontario Drug Policy Research Network (ODPRN) describes trends and patterns in opioid use between 2013 and 2023 among First Nation Peoples across Ontario with the goal of providing accessible, First Nations specific data on the following indicators:
- Prescription opioid use for pain
- Use of opioid agonist treatment (OAT; such as methadone and Suboxone®)
- Emergency department visits and hospital admissions for opioid-related toxicity
- Deaths due to opioid-related toxicity
Requesting Community-Specific Reports
As part of the commitment to broad dissemination of this work to First Nations communities across the province, First Nations communities are invited to request a community-specific report of a selection of indicators from this report.
To request a report with data specific to your community, please connect with ICES Indigenous Partnerships, Data and Analytics ([email protected]).
The Chiefs of Ontario and non-ICES affiliated staff will never receive any community-specific data or reports.