Evidence of increased Fentanyl use during the COVID-19 pandemic among opioid agonist treatment patients in Ontario, Canada.
Int J Drug Policy
; 90: 103088, 2021 04.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-987499
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Amid the opioid crisis, the health care system is restructuring to prevent and treat COVID-19. Individuals in opioid agonist treatment (OAT) are uniquely challenged because of disruption to treatment, medication diversion, and isolation during the pandemic.METHODS:
Between January and September 2020, we utilized the electronic medical record from a chain of 67 opioid agonist treatment clinics in Ontario, Canada, to examine routinely collected urine drug screen results of patients in opioid agonist treatment by Public Health Units.RESULTS:
We present evidence of a 108% increase in the percentage of fentanyl positive urine drug screens from April to September (p< 0.001). During the same period, health regions in northern and southwestern Ontario, areas with a high concentration of rural communities, have seen the most notable increase in the percent of fentanyl positive urine drug screen results.CONCLUSION:
The use of fentanyl increased by 108% among OAT patients in Ontario during the COVID 19 pandemic. We argue that the persistent increase of fentanyl exposure over time, specifically in the OAT population, suggests that reduced monitoring may decrease OAT's effectiveness and negatively impact patient outcomes.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Substance Abuse Detection
/
Fentanyl
/
Substance Abuse Treatment Centers
/
Opiate Substitution Treatment
/
Opioid Epidemic
/
COVID-19
/
Analgesics, Opioid
/
Opioid-Related Disorders
Type of study:
Diagnostic study
/
Prognostic study
Topics:
Long Covid
Limits:
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
North America
Language:
English
Journal:
Int J Drug Policy
Journal subject:
Public Health
/
Substance-Related Disorders
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
J.drugpo.2020.103088
Similar
MEDLINE
...
LILACS
LIS