Previously injured workers in sectors including construction, mining and forestry are more likely to end up in the emergency room or to be hospitalized due to opioid-related harm than workers in other sectors in Ontario.

In Canada, between January 2016 and September 2022, more than 34,000 people died from opioid use.

“Males of working age, particularly those between the ages of 30 and 49, have been disproportionately affected,” Dr. Nancy Carnide, an associate scientist at the Institute for Work and Health, said. “This has led to interest in understanding why we are seeing these patterns, including interest in the role of occupation.”