Association between opioid use disorder and palliative care: a cohort study using linked health administrative data in Ontario, Canada

Association between opioid use disorder and palliative care: a cohort study using linked health administrative data in Ontario, Canada
Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ); by Jenny Lau, Mary M. Scott, Karl Everett, Tara Gomes, Peter Tanuseputro, Sheila Jennings, Rebecca Bagnarol, Camilla Zimmermann and Sarina R. Isenbergl; 4/29/24
Background: People with opioid use disorder (OUD) are at risk of premature death and can benefit from palliative care. We sought to compare palliative care provision for decedents with and without OUD.
Conclusion: We identified important differences in palliative care provided at the end of life between people with and without OUD. People with OUD were less likely to receive palliative care despite accessing palliative care earlier, which may reflect their end-of-life illness trajectories and underlying structural vulnerability that may prompt them to receive palliative care primarily in acute care. Health care providers should receive training in palliative care and addiction medicine to support people with OUD.