Grant: Project Grant

Illicit drug overdose is a significant public health issue in Canada that has contributed to the deaths of over 32,000 people since 2016. British Columbia (BC) is one of the most affected provinces in Canada, with a record number of overdose deaths since 2021. Overdose in BC is the leading cause of death of people under 30 years of age. Geography (where we live) and the physical environment of our communities (e.g. access to public transit) have been found to have an impact on mental health, substance use and physical health. However, there is very little known about how geography and the built environment affect the risk of surviving an overdose. This lack of knowledge has prevented the development of place-based interventions to reduce overdose in geographically diverse communities outside of urban centers. We will address this knowledge gap by carrying out a mixed method study to obtain a complete picture of the connections between geography, the built environment, and overdose survival. We will use linked administrative health data contained in the BC Provincial Overdose Cohort, qualitative data from interviews of people with lived/living experience, and observational data collected by the research team to better understand how the built environment influences overdose mortality risk. Mixed methods findings will be continually triangulated by the research team, including people with lived/living experience who will be appointed Research Assistants, to identify nuances and contradictions based on geography (i.e. rurality) and region. This will be the first known Canadian project to examine the built environment factors that influence overdose survival. Through our partnerships and ongoing collaborations with knowledge users, the results of this project will directly inform service planning and delivery in urban, rural, and remote communities across the province, particularly in communities facing the highest rates of overdose death.