More than half the fatal illicit-drug overdose deaths investigated in B.C. in 2016 and 2017 involved people with a clinical mental health diagnosis, and almost half reported pain-related issues, says a new report by the B.C. Coroners Service.
“Illicit drugs continue to be the source of more than three deaths per day in B.C.,” said Lisa Lapointe, chief coroner.
A 34-page report, called Illicit Drug Overdose Deaths in B.C.: Findings of Coroners’ Investigations, looks at 872 illicit-drug overdose-death investigations in 2016 and 2017.
The report found that more than two thirds of those who died used drugs alone, 65 per cent were never married and 18 per cent were previously separated or divorced.
“Our expanded analysis confirms that more than two-thirds of these illicit-drug deaths in 2016 and 2017 involve people using alone and indoors,” said Lapointe.
“We know this leads to a higher risk for death with a toxic drug supply,” she said. “We continue to urge those using substances to plan to take them in the company of someone who can provide help: administering naloxone and calling 911 for assistance.”
About one in every four deaths involved people, primarily males, working in trades or transport, says the report.
Among the findings about those who died:
• More than half had reported a clinical mental health diagnosis or showed evidence of a mental health disorder
• About four in five had contact with health services in the year preceding their death
• More than two-thirds used drugs alone
• 45 per cent had reported pain-related issues
• 14 per cent lived in social or single-room occupancy housing and nine per cent were homeless
• About one in every four deaths involved people, primarily males, working in trades or transport
• 65 per cent were never married and 18 per cent were previously separated or divorced
• 44 per cent were employed and 51 per cent unemployed.
The report also confirmed findings previously shared by the Coroners Service, including:
• Four in every five deaths were male (81 per cent, or 707 of the 872 deaths)
• About two thirds of those who died lived in private residences
• Fentanyl was detected in just over three of every four deaths.
Fardous Hosseiny, national director of research and public policy at the Canadian Mental Health Association, said mental health and addiction often go hand in hand when people suffering from mild to moderate anxiety or depression start self medicating with potentially deadly substances while on a wait list for services beyond their family doctor’s office.
He said one in five Canadians deal with a mental illness every year but a lack of integrated services between family doctors, psychiatrists, social workers and peer-support workers means the patients’ condition can worsen to a point that it becomes a serious disability.
Federal funding allocated specifically for community mental health services is needed, but Canada invests the least amount of money compared with other G7 countries, Hosseiny said. “I think that would address dealing with this opioid crisis because a lot of it is people numbing their psychological suffering, maybe due to violence, trauma, colonialization, racism, whatever it may be.”
Read the report Illicit Drug Overdose Deaths in BC: Findings of Coroners’ Investigations: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/birth-adoption-death-marriage-and-divorce/deaths/coroners-service/statistical/illicitdrugoverdosedeathsinbc-findingsofcoronersinvestigations-final.pdf
