Dear HIFA colleagues,
Background document (including 10 questions) https://www.hifa.org/sites/default/files/articles/Opioids-10Qs.pdf
The stated objectives of this forum - in consultation with our sponsor NextGenU.org - are to:
1. Encourage educational institutions to develop and strengthen resources to address opioid misuse, especially within primary health care.
2. Promote a better understanding among health professionals of the magnitude of the problem and equip them with effective tools to intervene in opioid use disorders.
With regard to the first question, an understanding of the extent of the problem in each country is important. With a google search I tried to build a picture (let me know if any inaccuracies or if you can say more):
1. The United States appears to be the worst affected country, with 150 people dying every day due to opioid overdaose. Synthetic opioids such as fentanyl are the main drivers of these deaths.
2. Canada is similarly affected, especially British Columbia.
3. The United Kingdom has around 5 deaths per day, due largely to heroin and fentanyl
4. Other countries with relatively high levels of opioid misuse include Australia, Germany, Sweden, Russia, Iran, Afghanistan and Nigeria. The main problem in Germany is misuse of prescription opioids. Aghanistan is the world's main producer of opium and heroin and it is thought that around 2 million Afghans use these drugs. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0740547221002014#...,(UNODC)%2C%202015).
In terms of health impacts, in addition to death from overdose there are of course many devastating health and social impacts of opioid misuse.
Should we look to the United States for solutions? Or is their opioid crisis a reflection of socio-economic failures?
I look forward to your inputs.
Many thanks, Neil
HIFA profile: Neil Pakenham-Walsh is coordinator of HIFA (Healthcare Information For All), a global health community that brings all stakeholders together around the shared goal of universal access to reliable healthcare information. HIFA has 20,000 members in 180 countries, interacting in four languages and representing all parts of the global evidence ecosystem. HIFA is administered by Global Healthcare Information Network, a UK-based nonprofit in official relations with the World Health Organization. Email: neil@hifa.org