Risk of opioid toxicity death is many times higher for people who experience incarceration

Newswise — Burden of opioid toxicity death in the fentanyl-dominant era for people who experience incarceration in Ontario, Canada, 2015–2020: a whole population retrospective cohort study - Find the study here: https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/13/5/e071867

This retrospective cohort study looked at mortality due to opioid toxicity among people who experienced incarceration in Ontario between 2015 and 2020, during the fentanyl-dominant era.

Study results showed the risk of opioid toxicity death is many times higher for people who experience incarceration compared with others in Ontario. Risk is markedly elevated in the week after release, and women who experience incarceration have a substantially higher SMR than men who experience incarceration. Initiatives to prevent deaths should consider programs and policies in correctional facilities to address high risk on release.