Press release: Injured workers have higher rates of opioid poisonings than the general population

A study by OCRC and the Institute for Work and Health found that formerly injured workers have higher rates of opioid poisonings than the general population. The study also identifies occupations with the highest risks of opioid-related poisonings and other harms.

Press release: Injured workers have higher rates of opioid poisonings than the general population: study

More resources are available on the project website, including:

Plain language summaries:

• Formerly injured workers have higher risk of opioid-related harms than the general population in Ontario
• In which occupations are formerly injured Ontario workers most at-risk of opioid-related harms?

Infographics:

• Opioid-related harms: Comparison between formerly injured workers and the general Ontario population by occupation
• Opioid-related harms: An overall comparison between formerly injured workers and the general Ontario population
• Opioid-related harms: Risks by Occupation among formerly injured Ontario workers

Scientific Publications:

• Occupational patterns of opioid-related harms comparing a cohort of formerly injured workers to the general population in Ontario, Canada
• Risk of opioid-related harms by occupation within a large cohort of formerly injured workers in Ontario, Canada: Findings from the Occupational Disease Surveillance System

About the study:

This project has been made possible through funding from the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) (2021-HQ-000092). The views expressed in this summary do not necessarily represent the views of Public Health Agency of Canada.

The ODSS is supported by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) and is jointly funded by the Ontario Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training, and Skills Development (MLITSD) and the Ontario Ministry of Health (MOH). The ODSS has received previous funding from the Public Health Agency of Canada.