Non-Medical Use of Prescription Opioid Analgesics in Canada: Epidemiology, Consequences and Interventions

Several indicators-including relevant projections based on US data - are suggesting that the non-medical use of prescription opioids (POs), and related harms (e.g., morbidity and mortality) are a rapidly growing phenomenon in Canada. However, key empirical data to systematically analyze and understand the phenomenon, and inform evidence-based interventions (e.g., prevention, treatment and policy) are missing. This NET, consisting of investigators of multiple research disciplines/ pillars and institutions across Canada, proposes a program of inter-linked research projects to inform interventions development in the area of non-medical PO use. These include: Epidemiology of non-medical PO use in general and and street populations; mapping of medical PO availability/ dispensing across Canadian jurisdictions; sub-projects into non-medical PO sourcing routes and poly-drug use among street drug users; monitoring of PO related mortality (i.e., poisoning deaths); feasibility of brief interventions for problematic PO use. A knowledge translation (KT) group consisting of representatives from key governmental, non-governmental and professional stakeholders/ institutions will form the basis for systematic KT of research results into intervention domains.