Experiences of illicit opioid overdose survivors: From opioid epidemic to COVID-19 pandemic

Background: British Columbia continues to experience an overwhelming burden of opioid overdose, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic beginning in 2019. We aimed to determine the experiences of opioid overdose survivors and identify contributors, including the pandemic, in the increasing incidence of opioid overdoses. Methods: We recruited opioid overdose survivors from the Fraser Health region to participate in semi-structured interviews. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed thematically. Results: A difficult childhood and mental illness were the two most common themes among participants. Other themes included awareness of risk, with 60% of participants having more than three overdose events and no participants overdosing alone. The most common reported impact of COVID was reduced access to support groups. Conclusions: Opioid overdose has increased dramatically during the COVID pandemic and may be driven by increased isolation in a cohort that relies on using with others to mitigate the risks of overdose.