Grant: DRA : Canada Graduate Research Scholarship - Doctoral Program (CGRS D)

Drug overdoses have killed over 52,000 Canadians since 2016, with rural communities hit harder than cities. While limited access to health services may partly explain the higher risk in rural areas, natural disasters like heat waves, wildfires, and floods may also play an important role. Recent studies found that the 2021 heat dome in BC coincided with a spike in overdose deaths and that home relocation may increase the risk of fatal overdose. With climate change making extreme weather and evacuations more frequent, understanding these connections is crucial for preventing the compounding of the climate and overdose crises across BC, especially in rural communities. This study will examine how major natural disasters in BC affected the risk of overdose death in impacted communities. Using health records from people who experienced an overdose between 2015 and 2024, I will create detailed maps showing when and where overdose risk spiked around disaster events. I will then examine individuals who experienced overdoses in the affected areas, comparing their likelihood of overdose during disaster periods versus normal time periods. This approach will help determine whether natural disasters directly cause more overdose deaths, rather than just coinciding with them. This research will transform how we prevent overdose deaths throughout BC and Canada. The findings will help emergency responders prepare overdose prevention resources during disasters and guide environmental adaptations at harm reduction and treatment facilities to protect people who are at risk of overdose during extreme weather, ultimately reducing overdose deaths across Canada.