Opioids
Narcotics, or opioids, are often used to treat pain, including pain associated with work injuries. Yet, abuse of these painkillers has resulted in such a large increase in hospitalizations and deaths that the situation is called an “opioid epidemic.” IWH research looks at optimal opioid prescribing practices for physicians, as well as the use and effects of opioids related to the treatment of work-related injuries in particular.
Featured

At Work article
New data viz tool highlights patterns of opioid harms among Ontario workers
A new, interactive tool has just been launched to illustrate patterns of opioid-related harms in a large group of Ontario workers. Members of the public can view data on harms by occupation and industry, and by demographic factors like age, sex and and geographic region.
Published: December 7, 2023

At Work article
IWH study finds 7 in 10 injured workers still experience pain more than a year after injury
A high proportion of injured workers in Ontario experience persistent pain for well over a year after their work-related injury. According to an IWH study of workers' compensation lost-time claimants, 70 per cent of workers experience pain 18 months after their work injury.
Published: September 30, 2022

At Work article
New data viz tool highlights patterns of opioid harms among Ontario workers
A new, interactive tool has just been launched to illustrate patterns of opioid-related harms in a large group of Ontario workers. Members of the public can view data on harms by occupation and industry, and by demographic factors like age, sex and and geographic region.
Published: December 2023
IWH Speaker Series
IWH Speaker Series
Occupational patterns in opioid-related harms among Ontario workers
Surveillance systems that monitor opioid-related harms in Canada do not typically collect work information. Limited data on opioid overdose deaths in Canada point to construction and trades workers as the worker groups most affected by the overdose crisis; but we know little else. Through a collaboration between the Occupational Cancer Research Centre (OCRC) at Ontario Health and the Institute for Work & Health (IWH), a study team has expanded the Occupational Disease Surveillance System (ODSS) to include opioid-related harms. In this presentation, Dr. Nancy Carnide (IWH) and Dr. Paul Demers (OCRC) share findings that have emerged from this unique source of data on a large sample of formerly injured workers.
Published: June 2023
Journal article
Journal article
Reducing opioid use for chronic pain with a group-based intervention: a randomized clinical trial
Published: JAMA, May 2023
Journal article
Journal article
Opioid disposal practices of patients with life-limiting cancers in an outpatient palliative care clinic: a cross-sectional study
Published: Journal of Palliative Medicine, January 2023
Journal article
Journal article
Overdose and substance-related mortality after release from prison in Washington State: 2014-2019
Published: Drug and Alcohol Dependence, October 2022

At Work article
IWH study finds 7 in 10 injured workers still experience pain more than a year after injury
A high proportion of injured workers in Ontario experience persistent pain for well over a year after their work-related injury. According to an IWH study of workers' compensation lost-time claimants, 70 per cent of workers experience pain 18 months after their work injury.
Published: September 2022
Journal article
Journal article
Opioid utilization and management in the setting of stewardship during inpatient rehab care
Published: Drug, Healthcare and Patient Safety, September 2022

IWH in the media
IWH, OCRC project delves into role of employment in opioid crisis
The number of people who die or who are being hospitalized due to opioids continues to rise, prompting the Institute for Work & Health (IWH) and the Occupational Cancer Research Centre (OCRC) to launch a research project monitoring opioid-related adverse health events in order to identify the worker groups most at risk. Angela Gismondi reports.
Published: Daily Commercial News, August 2022
Journal article
Journal article
The community-based medication-first program for opioid use disorder: a hybrid implementation study protocol of a rapid access to buprenorphine program in Washington State
Published: Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, July 2022
Journal article
Journal article
Development and testing of an opioid tapering self-management intervention for chronic pain: I-WOTCH
Published: BMJ Open, March 2022