Despite an overall decline in prescribed opioid use in Canada over the past decade, a recent study found that people in poorer areas receive three times the prescriptions for opioids than those in wealthier areas.
听
Researchers from the School of Pharmacy at the University of 蓝莓视频 analyzed prescription records in seven provinces鈥 public drug plans from 2010 to 2018, the most recent data available. British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba shared comprehensive data across all age groups, and Alberta, Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Prince Edward Island provided data for individuals aged 65 and older. Quebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia do not submit data to the federal entity that collects these records. 听The research team cross-referenced prescription patterns with census data on household income and sex to support their analysis.
Canada remains the world鈥檚 second-highest consumer of opioids. In 2024 alone, opioid-related harms averaged 67 emergency room visits, 99 emergency responses, 15 hospitalizations and 20 deaths per day, according to听.
鈥淒espite the perceived success in the reduction of opioid prescribing, inequalities persist,鈥 said Dr. Wasem Alsabbagh, a professor in 蓝莓视频鈥檚 School of Pharmacy. 鈥淥ur findings confirm that among lower socio-economic areas, women overall receive more opioid prescriptions. Among men, those with lower incomes received more prescriptions than their counterparts in the higher income brackets.鈥
The researchers say the gap in opioid use between communities raises important concerns, and the problem affects everyone. 听They hope the findings will inspire health-care providers to take additional steps towards mitigating the risks of opioid misuse and support more equitable care.听
鈥淧harmacists are an essential part of the primary care team,鈥 Alsabbagh said. 鈥淭hey can provide guidance to prescribers on individual prescriptions, appropriate dosages for each patient, inform policy decisions to address inequities and connect patients to support services, if necessary.鈥澨
Future research will expand on gathering more data from the private health-care sector to add to this research on prescribing patterns.
One of the study鈥檚 authors, Dr. Susan Elliott, is just one of many researchers demonstrating the power of geography in understanding a wide range of health issues. This study reinforces how place and socio-economic context shape health outcomes and contribute to disparities in care. After it's publication earlier this summer, the study,听, appears in听Drugs Real World Outcomes.