THUNDER BAY - People on the front line combating drug abuse in the region are hopeful that more up-to-date data will not only help allocate resources to those most in need, but may even save lives on the street.
Starting Apr. 1, 2017, hospitals in Ontario began tracking all overdose cases, both fatal and non-fatal. Cynthia Olsen, the coordinator of the Thunder Bay Drug Strategy, welcomes the new data collection.
“Having more information in real-time is going to be critical,” she said.
According to Olsen, the most up-to-date information she has on drug overdoses is compiled by regional coroner from 2015. This new data will allow the drug strategy to determine future programming based on the number and type of overdoses that are occurring.
“As well as how people are accessing overdose prevention support, and information around planning specifically around how we get that information out to community members,” she said.
Between 2014 and 2015, there were 70 reported accidental overdose deaths in Northwestern Ontario. While that number may not seem high, Olsen said the region is the first or second highest in overdose related deaths per capita in Ontario.
“If we are able to get more robust information, not just about the number of deaths, but the number of individuals that are overdosing in a community, whether fatal or non-fatal, it’s going to give us a bigger picture on the types of substances that are implicated and that we need to be mindful of and how we can respond,” she said.
Olsen added that for those working on drug prevention initiatives at the street level will now have quicker access to overdose trends, which could help those battling addiction avoid bootlegged or dangerous drugs.
“Because we don’t have that in real time, we don’t have anything we can share that would be meaningful for people that could possibly prevent an overdose and the consequences that could happen,” she said. “It will help us save lives.”
Hospitals will compile data on a weekly basis, which will then be distributed to municipal and community organizations on a monthly basis.
Olsen said she cannot speculate on what the data will say, but suspects it may be similar to what is happening in other parts of the country.
“I do suspect we will continue to see a rise in overdoses, which has been the trend in Canada, so I don’t think that will be a surprise,” she said. “But the critical information will be what the substances are that are driving it.”
“Opioids are driving the majority of overdose related deaths in Ontario and Canada,” she continued. “I think this will also give us information about non-opioid related or implicated overdoses, and those that are fatal and non-fatal.”
