Mapping the overdose crisis in Ontario: geographic disparities in opioid-related harms and services
Sparsely populated and rural PHUs experience the highest burden of opioid-related harms, coupled with limitations in service accessibility, demonstrating a clear need for additional harm reduction services. Decision-makers may be misled into underestimating the crisis in non-urban areas as a result of oversimplified reporting, resulting in inadequate support for these regions. Addressing these disparities is key to reducing opioid-related mortality and ensuring equitable access to life-saving services across Ontario.
Authors
- Farihah Ali (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2968-3824)
- David C. Marsh (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8769-1785)
- Pamela Leece (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8374-6518)
- Nikki Bozinoff (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9512-7407)
- Sami Aftab Abdul (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8264-435X)
- Jürgen T. Rehm (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5665-0385)
- Sameer Imtiaz (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6812-4892)
- Cayley Russell (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9634-9554)
- Jordan Mende-Gibson
- Shannon Chellew Paternostro
Institutions
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CA)
- University of Ottawa (CA)
- Universität Hamburg (DE)
- University of Toronto (CA)
- Canada Research Chairs (CA)
- Health Sciences North (CA)
- Mental Health Research Canada (CA)
- University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (DE)
- Public Health Ontario (CA)
- Public Health Agency (GB)
- Ottawa Public Health (CA)
- NOSM University (CA)
- Sheridan College (CA)
Publication Details
- Journal
- BMC Public Health
- Published
- 2025-11-13
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-25103-y
- Primary Topic
- Opioid Use Disorder Treatment
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Canadian Institutes of Health Research
- Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada