Abstract
The abuse of oxycodone in Northwestern Ontario, Canada, has escalated at alarming rates raising concerns that opiate use has reached epidemic proportions, particularly among the First Nations communities. The authors were involved in establishing Ontario's first rural inpatient medical withdrawal unit to serve patients seeking abstinence. The development of the medical withdrawal support services (MWSS) required creative and adaptive strategies to respond to the geographical, cultural and institutional circumstances. Key factors to support program efficacy and successful outcomes for clients during the inaugural eight months of operation are interprofessional and collaborative approaches with a cultural awareness.Key words: addiction, Canada, First Nation, medical withdrawal.
Highlights
Context: The abuse of oxycodone in Northwestern Ontario, Canada, has escalated at alarming rates raising concerns that opiate use has reached epidemic proportions, among the First Nations communities
Between 2000 and 2004, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health reported admission to the detoxification program for controlledrelease oxycodone increased from 3.8% to 55.4%3
In two surveys investigating the severity of problems as reported by Aboriginal Canadians, 73% reported alcohol as a problem, 44% reported family violence, 59% reported drug abuse, 35% reported suicide, 72% reported anxiety, 70% reported violence and 51% reported child abuse[8]
Summary
N Kiepek[1], L Hancock[1], D Toppozini[2], H Cromarty[2], A Morgan[2], L Kelly1 1Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Sioux Lookout, Ontario, Canada. Submitted: 22 April 2012; Revised: 25 July 2012, Published: 23 October 2012 Kiepek N, Hancock L, Toppozini D, Cromarty H, Morgan A, Kelly L. Facilitating medical withdrawal from opiates in rural Ontario Rural and Remote Health 12: 2193. Facilitating medical withdrawal from opiates in rural Ontario Rural and Remote Health 12: 2193. (Online) 2012
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