Validation of Self-reported Opioid Agonist Treatment Among People Who Inject Drugs Using Prescription Dispensation Records

Abstract

The results reported herein correspond to specific aims of a Fredrick Banting and Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholarship-Doctoral Award to Zachary Bouck from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). This study was supported by ICES, which is funded by an annual grant from the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. During the study, salary support was received via Tier 2 Canada Research Chair awards to Dr.

Evaluating interventions to facilitate opioid agonist treatment access among people who inject drugs in Toronto, Ontario during COVID-19 pandemic restrictions

“…For example, over 90% of participants reported recent homelessness or unstable housing at baseline ( Scheim, Sniderman, et al, 2021 ), a structural vulnerability that has been previously associated with difficulty accessing OAT ( Prangnell et al, 2016 ). Third, OiSIS-Toronto participants are asked at baseline for additional consent to having their questionnaire data transferred and linked at ICES—a non-profit research institute authorized under Ontario's health information privacy law to collect and analyze health care and demographic data for health system evaluation and improvement ( Bouck et al, 2022 ; Scheim, Sniderman, et al, 2021 ). The linkage process has been summarized previously in greater detail ( Bouck et al, 2022 ).…”

“…Third, OiSIS-Toronto participants are asked at baseline for additional consent to having their questionnaire data transferred and linked at ICES—a non-profit research institute authorized under Ontario's health information privacy law to collect and analyze health care and demographic data for health system evaluation and improvement ( Bouck et al, 2022 ; Scheim, Sniderman, et al, 2021 ). The linkage process has been summarized previously in greater detail ( Bouck et al, 2022 ). Briefly, 74% (521/701) of OiSIS-Toronto participants recruited by March 19 th , 2020, consented to and were successfully linked at ICES.…”

“…Briefly, 74% (521/701) of OiSIS-Toronto participants recruited by March 19 th , 2020, consented to and were successfully linked at ICES. For these linked participants, we can access their routinely collected health care administrative data (e.g., prescription medication claims and hospitalization records) and demographic data at ICES, which enables repeated assessment of OAT enrollment and treatment-related outcomes at more regular intervals (e.g., weekly) and potentially with greater accuracy versus cohort questionnaires (completed semi-annually after baseline, all data participant-reported) ( Bouck et al, 2022 ; Scheim, Sniderman, et al, 2021 ).…”

Safer opioid supply via a biometric dispensing machine: a qualitative study of barriers, facilitators and associated outcomes

“…However, research has shown both the reliability and validity of self-reported data among people who use drugs. 55 , 56 Nonetheless, future research is needed, including mixed-methods approaches to confirm outcomes of safer supply programs.…”