Journal article
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people who use drugs in three Canadian cities: a cross-sectional analysis
Harm reduction journal, v 21(1), 94
16 May 2024
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
BACKGROUNDThe COVID-19 pandemic had a disproportionate impact on the health and wellbeing of people who use drugs (PWUD) in Canada. However less is known about jurisdictional commonalities and differences in COVID-19 exposure and impacts of pandemic-related restrictions on competing health and social risks among PWUD living in large urban centres.METHODSBetween May 2020 and March 2021, leveraging infrastructure from ongoing cohorts of PWUD, we surveyed 1,025 participants from Vancouver (n = 640), Toronto (n = 158), and Montreal (n = 227), Canada to describe the impacts of pandemic-related restrictions on basic, health, and harm reduction needs.RESULTSAmong participants, awareness of COVID-19 protective measures was high; however, between 10 and 24% of participants in each city-specific sample reported being unable to self-isolate. Overall, 3-19% of participants reported experiencing homelessness after the onset of the pandemic, while 20-41% reported that they went hungry more often than usual. Furthermore, 8-33% of participants reported experiencing an overdose during the pandemic, though most indicated no change in overdose frequency compared the pre-pandemic period. Most participants receiving opioid agonist therapy in the past six months reported treatment continuity during the pandemic (87-93%), however, 32% and 22% of participants in Toronto and Montreal reported missing doses due to service disruptions. There were some reports of difficulty accessing supervised consumption sites in all three sites, and drug checking services in Vancouver.CONCLUSIONFindings suggest PWUD in Canada experienced difficulties meeting essential needs and accessing some harm reduction services during the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings can inform preparedness planning for future public health emergencies.
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Details
- Title
- The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people who use drugs in three Canadian cities: a cross-sectional analysis
- Creators
- Sanjana Mitra - St Michael's HospitalZachary Bouck - St Michael's HospitalSarah Larney - Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de MontréalCamille Zolopa - McGill UniversityStine Høj - Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de MontréalNanor Minoyan - Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de MontréalKatie Upham - St. Michael's HospitalIndhu Rammohan - St. Michael's HospitalWing Yin Mok - British Columbia Centre on Substance UseKanna Hayashi - British Columbia Centre on Substance UseM-J Milloy - British Columbia Centre on Substance UseKora DeBeck - British Columbia Centre on Substance UseAyden Scheim - Drexel UniversityDan Werb - St Michael's Hospital
- Publication Details
- Harm reduction journal, v 21(1), 94
- Publisher
- Springer BMC
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Epidemiology and Biostatistics
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:001223669200001
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85193395877
- Other Identifier
- 991021877018804721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Substance Abuse