Opioid overdose decedents and palliative care: a population-level descriptive study
Jenny Lau1,2, Emilie Matheson3, Sarina Roslyn Isenberg4,5
1Division of Palliative Care, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada jenny.lau@uhn.ca.
BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care
|April 2, 2026
Summary
Approximately one in three individuals who died from opioid overdose in Canada received palliative care. These patients often had lower incomes, higher illness burdens, and died in hospitals.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Palliative Care Research
- Addiction Medicine
Background:
- Opioid overdose deaths in Canada have significantly increased, highlighting an urgent need for comprehensive care strategies.
- Understanding the role and characteristics of palliative care among opioid overdose decedents is crucial for improving end-of-life support.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the proportion of opioid overdose decedents who received palliative care.
- To identify demographic and clinical differences between opioid overdose decedents who received palliative care and those who did not.
Main Methods:
- Population-level descriptive study in Ontario, Canada (July 2015 - December 2022).
- Identified opioid overdose decedents who received palliative care within two years of death.
- Age-matched and compared palliative care recipients with non-recipients.
Main Results:
- 30.1% (n=3500) of 11,645 opioid overdose decedents received palliative care, primarily in acute care settings (96.9%).
- Palliative care was typically short-term, averaging 4.7 days in the last two years of life.
- Palliative care recipients were more likely to reside in lower-income areas, have higher comorbidity, die in hospital, and receive end-of-life opioid prescriptions.
Conclusions:
- About one-third of opioid overdose decedents received brief palliative care, mainly in acute care.
- Further research is needed to explore palliative care access and delivery for individuals hospitalized with opioid overdose.
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