Over the past two decades there has been growing concern about the rising use of opioids – and high strength opioid prescribing in general – to treat chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP). Furthermore, the rising prevalence of abuse, misuse and addiction related to opioids has driven concerns regarding accidental opioid overdoses that may lead to hospitalizations for toxicity, and sometimes death.
Previous ODPRN reports have shown considerable variation in the rate of opioid prescribing and opioid-related death among Ontario counties. With more recent numbers available on opioid-related deaths and a refined methodology to identify hospital visits related to opioid toxicity, we have updated our analyses to include estimates on opioid prescribing, opioid-related hospitalizations and emergency department visits, and opioid-related deaths in Ontario’s 49 counties and 14 Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs).
Hover over the interactive maps and report cards below to see the variations in rates of opioid use and related adverse events in Ontario:
Report Map by County Map by LHIN Press Release
For further information on ODB-eligible individuals and population estimates, view the Technical Appendix.
County Report Cards
Choose your county to see additional information on opioid users, opioid-related hospital admissions, emergency department visits and deaths [For optimal viewing, click the FULL SCREEN option in the bottom right corner or view it here]