As part of the broader response to the drug poisoning crisis, Peterborough Public Health has launched a new opioid harms data portal on its website, providing information about the number of emergency medical service 911 calls, emergency department visits, and deaths related to drug poisonings.
The health unit shared information about the portal, along with Peterborough Public Health’s existing drug reporting tool, during a virtual media briefing on Thursday afternoon (June 9) with medical officer of health Dr. Thomas Piggott, health promoter Jocelyn Qualtrough, and epidemiologist Sarah Peacock.
Last updated June 6, data on the opioid harms data portal will be updated monthly. According to the most recent data on the portal, 17 people have died from drug poisonings so far in 2022, with 38 people having died in the last 12 months (June 2021 to May 2022) — translating to one person dying every 10 days on average.
“This is part of a broader trend that I’ve spoken about significantly since I’ve arrived here and I’m deeply concerned about, which is an increasingly toxic drug supply on the street and an increasingly worsening drug poisoning crisis in our community,” Dr. Piggott said. “Looking to last year’s data, in the past five years we’ve had a nearly 450 per cent increase in the number of deaths.”
“But looking at the deaths doesn’t capture the full picture,” he added. “It misses the burden on our health system, on our ambulance providers, on families, friends, and most importantly on people themselves who are using drugs. The burdens go far beyond just the numbers that we see, but understanding and having clear communication on the numbers that we are seeing is a critical component.”
The portal also provides statistics about the number of 911 calls and emergency visits, including statistics on gender, age, time, and location. For example, over the last 12 months, more than half of emergency department visits involved men and more than half were people aged 25 to 44, with almost half of the visits between 4 p.m. and midnight.
The drug reporting tool is an online survey where residents can anonymously report drug poisonings and other bad drug reactions.
While the tool has been available for some time, originally for health unit partners and then to the public, it has now been integrated into the Peterborough Public Health website.
The drug reporting tool also provides anecdotal information that is not included in the opioid harms data portal, as not everyone experiencing a drug-related harm calls 911 or goes to the emergency department.
The opioid harms data portal and drug reporting tool are part of the health unit’s opioid early warning and surveillance system.
According to Qualtrough, the tools are intended to increase public awareness and understanding and compassion, increase communication between partners, and support informed decision-making.
The opioid harms data portal is available at peterboroughpublichealth.ca/your-health/drugs-and-harm-reduction/opioids/opioids-data/, and the drug reporting tool is available at peterboroughpublichealth.ca/your-health/drugs-and-harm-reduction/opioids/opioids-drug-reporting-tool/.
