OBJECTIVE: To document the development of unique opioid-dependence treatment in remote communities that combines First Nations healing strategies and substitution therapy with buprenorphine-naloxone. DESIGN: Quantitative measurements of community wellness and response to community-based opioid-dependence treatment. SETTING: Remote First Nations community in northwestern Ontario. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 140 self-referred opioid-dependent community members. INTERVENTION: Community-developed program of First Nations healing, addiction treatment, and substitution therapy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Community-wide measures of wellness: number of criminal charges, addiction-related medical evacuations, child protection agency cases, school attendance, and attendance at community events. RESULTS: The age-adjusted adult rate of opioid-dependence treatment was 41%. One year after the development of the in-community healing and substitution therapy program for opioid dependence, police criminal charges had fallen by 61.1%, child protection cases had fallen by 58.3%, school attendance had increased by 33.3%, and seasonal influenza immunizations had dramatically gone up by 350.0%. Attendance at community events is now robust, and sales at the local general store have gone up almost 20%. CONCLUSION: Community-wide wellness measures have undergone dramatic public health changes since the development of a First Nations healing program involving opioid substitution therapy with buprenorphine-naloxone. Funding for such programs is ad hoc and temporary, and this threatens the survival of the described program and other such programs developing in this region, which has been strongly affected by an opioid-dependence epidemic.
OBJECTIVE: To document the development of unique opioid-dependence treatment in remote communities that combines First Nations healing strategies and substitution therapy with buprenorphine-naloxone. DESIGN: Quantitative measurements of community wellness and response to community-based opioid-dependence treatment. SETTING: Remote First Nations community in northwestern Ontario. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 140 self-referred opioid-dependent community members. INTERVENTION: Community-developed program of First Nations healing, addiction treatment, and substitution therapy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Community-wide measures of wellness: number of criminal charges, addiction-related medical evacuations, child protection agency cases, school attendance, and attendance at community events. RESULTS: The age-adjusted adult rate of opioid-dependence treatment was 41%. One year after the development of the in-community healing and substitution therapy program for opioid dependence, police criminal charges had fallen by 61.1%, child protection cases had fallen by 58.3%, school attendance had increased by 33.3%, and seasonal influenza immunizations had dramatically gone up by 350.0%. Attendance at community events is now robust, and sales at the local general store have gone up almost 20%. CONCLUSION: Community-wide wellness measures have undergone dramatic public health changes since the development of a First Nations healing program involving opioid substitution therapy with buprenorphine-naloxone. Funding for such programs is ad hoc and temporary, and this threatens the survival of the described program and other such programs developing in this region, which has been strongly affected by an opioid-dependence epidemic.
Authors: Irfan A Dhalla; Muhammad M Mamdani; Marco L A Sivilotti; Alex Kopp; Omar Qureshi; David N Juurlink Journal: CMAJ Date: 2009-12-07 Impact factor: 8.262
Authors: Ira L Mintzer; Mark Eisenberg; Maria Terra; Casey MacVane; David U Himmelstein; Steffie Woolhandler Journal: Ann Fam Med Date: 2007 Mar-Apr Impact factor: 5.166
Authors: Nancy L Sohler; Xuan Li; Hillary V Kunins; Galit Sacajiu; Angela Giovanniello; Susan Whitley; Chinazo O Cunningham Journal: J Subst Abuse Treat Date: 2009-10-03
Authors: Paul J Fudala; T Peter Bridge; Susan Herbert; William O Williford; C Nora Chiang; Karen Jones; Joseph Collins; Dennis Raisch; Paul Casadonte; R Jeffrey Goldsmith; Walter Ling; Usha Malkerneker; Laura McNicholas; John Renner; Susan Stine; Donald Tusel Journal: N Engl J Med Date: 2003-09-04 Impact factor: 91.245
Authors: Kenneth Blum; Marcelo Febo; Lyle Fried; Mona Li; Kristina Dushaj; Eric R Braverman; Thomas McLaughlin; Bruce Steinberg; Rajendra D Badgaiyan Journal: Subst Use Misuse Date: 2016-12-29 Impact factor: 2.164
Authors: Roisin Dooley; Joe Dooley; Irwin Antone; John Guilfoyle; Lianne Gerber-Finn; Kara Kakekagumick; Helen Cromarty; Wilma Hopman; Jill Muileboom; Nicole Brunton; Len Kelly Journal: Can Fam Physician Date: 2015-02 Impact factor: 3.275
Authors: Kamilla L Venner; Dennis M Donovan; Aimee N C Campbell; Dennis C Wendt; Traci Rieckmann; Sandra M Radin; Sandra L Momper; Carmen L Rosa Journal: Addict Behav Date: 2018-05-23 Impact factor: 3.913
Authors: Solomon Mamakwa; Meldon Kahan; Dinah Kanate; Mike Kirlew; David Folk; Sharon Cirone; Sara Rea; Pierre Parsons; Craig Edwards; Janet Gordon; Fiona Main; Len Kelly Journal: Can Fam Physician Date: 2017-02 Impact factor: 3.275
Authors: David Smookler; Anne Beck; Brenda Head; Leroy Quoquat; Cheyanne Albany; Terri Farrell; Janet Gordon; Nancy Thurston; Lucy You; Camelia Capraru; Mike McKay; John Kim; Jordan J Feld; Hemant Shah Journal: Can Liver J Date: 2022-08-16
Authors: Thaius Boyd; Jordan Stipek; Alex Kraft; Judge Muskrat; Kevin A Hallgren; Clinton Alexander; Brenna Greenfield Journal: Drug Alcohol Depend Date: 2021-03-18 Impact factor: 4.492