title: Trends and sex differences in prescription opioid deaths in British Columbia, Canada.
abstract: Increasing rates of prescription opioid-related death are well documented in Ontario (ON) but little is known about prescription opioid-related harms in other Canadian provinces. Using administrative mortality data from 2004 to 2013, we found that rates of prescription opioid-related death in British Columbia (BC) were higher but more stable than published rates for ON over the same period. Methadone was involved in approximately 25% of the prescription opioid-related deaths in BC. The majority of prescription opioid-related deaths among men and women were unintentional. Men had higher overall rates of prescription opioid-related deaths in BC; women had lower rates of prescription opioid-related deaths but a larger proportion of them were suicides. Efforts to reduce prescription opioid-related deaths must consider sex differences in patterns of prescription opioid use and associated harms.
authors.affiliation: School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Emilie J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Gladstone
authors.affiliation: School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Kate
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Smolina
authors.affiliation: School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Steven G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Morgan
mesh_terms: D000059:Accidents / Q000401:mortality*; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D001955:British Columbia / Q000453:epidemiology; D062787:Drug Overdose / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000401:mortality*; D063487:Prescription Drug Misuse / Q000401:mortality* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012737:Sex Factors; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid