Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management

In 2018 there were over 1400 opioid-related deaths in Ontario. While the opioid crisis affects many socioeconomic groups and communities across Canada not all are being affected equally despite the presence of naloxone distribution programs in Ontario. This qualitative exploratory study seeks to understand facilitators and barriers influencing equitable access of naloxone programs in Durham Region. An environmental scan will be conducted to examine the availability and distribution of naloxone across community pharmacies and organizations in Durham Region. A qualitative descriptive phenomenology will be the methodological approach where key informant interviews will explore experiences of users and providers of naloxone programs. Key informants will include service providers and clients of both the Ontario Naloxone Program and Ontario Naloxone Program for Pharmacies in Durham Region. The harm reduction framework will be used to guide data analysis where thematic analysis will be conducted to generate overarching themes about the phenomenon. The environmental scan will result in the creation of a map outlining availability and distribution of naloxone programs to examine possible gaps that exist in Durham Region. It is expected that key informant interview findings will help understand where inequity exists in accessing Ontario’s naloxone programs in Durham Region by highlighting its barriers and facilitators. Findings generated will be used for larger scale studies in the future examining equitable access of naloxone distribution programs in Canada. This study will have implications to provide recommendations to policymakers for developing new policies to facilitate timely access of naloxone to mitigate risk of opioid-related harms.