Overdose mortality incidence and supervised consumption services in Toronto, Canada: an ecological study and spatial analysis

Original research
by
Rammohan, Indhu et al

Release Date

2024

Geography

Canada

Language of Resource

English

Full Text Available

Yes

Open Access / OK to Reproduce

Yes

Peer Reviewed

Yes

Objective

We aimed to characterise overdose mortality in Toronto, ON, Canada, and to establish the spatial association between supervised consumption services (SCS) locations and overdose mortality events.

Findings/Key points

We found that the period during which SCS were implemented in Toronto was associated with a reduced overdose mortality in surrounding neighbourhoods. The magnitude of this inverse association increased from 2018 to 2019, equalling approximately two overdose fatalities per 100 000 people averted in the square mile surrounding SCS in 2019. Policy makers should consider implementing and sustaining SCS across neighbourhoods where overdose mortality is high.

Design/methods

We compared crude overdose mortality rates before and after the implementation of nine SCS in Toronto in 2017.

Keywords

Overdose
Mortality
SCS/OPS
Evidence base