Trends in Rates of Opioid Agonist Treatment and Opioid-Related Deaths for Youths in Ontario, Canada, 2013-2021.

ABSTRACT:

Importance

Data suggest that the opioid crisis in North America has recently been reflected in opioid-related mortality among youths. Despite recommendation for its use, youths encounter barriers to accessing OAT, including stigma, burden of witnessed dosing, and lack of availability of youth-oriented services and prescribers comfortable treating this population.

Objective

To compare rates of opioid agonist treatment (OAT) and opioid-related mortality between youths aged 15 to 24 years and adults aged 25 to 44 years in Ontario, Canada, over time.

Design, setting, and participants

This cross-sectional analysis of rates of OAT and opioid-related deaths between 2013 and 2021 used data obtained from the Ontario Drug Policy Research Network, Public Health Ontario, and Stat

SUBMITTER: Rosic T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10326639 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature