Opioid Fatality and Indigenous Peoples in Canada: Looking at the Role of the Healthcare System, Healthcare Professionals, and Beyond

Abstract

Indigenous Peoples (which includes First Nations, Inuit, and Métis societies) in Canada are far more likely to experience opioid overdose death compared to non-Indigenous people due to systemic issues, colonialism, and access barriers to harm-reduction and treatment services. To overcome the Indigenous opioid overdose epidemic, it is vital that systemic reform occurs and that these obstacles to harm reduction and recovery are removed. This involves changing how healthcare services are delivered and removing barriers related to geography, stigma, education, and diverse cultural needs. While the federal government has made some progress towards improving harm-reduction and recovery-oriented care, additional efforts are needed to promote culturally responsive care, Indigenous self-determination, and to reduce health inequities. The Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada will be instrumental in achieving such changes within the healthcare system through government-led initiatives. For these changes to occur, it is not only the role of the healthcare provider and system to promote cultural safety, but also to help patients navigate to treatment and services that extend beyond the clinic or hospital. Finally, to end recurring cycles of trauma and substance use dependence for future generations, systems outside of healthcare must be restructured as well, which may be accomplished with the help of sociological research and insights. Such initiatives are integral to addressing the opioid epidemic and, ultimately, to improving Indigenous health and wellness overall.