Prenatal Opioid Exposure and Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome: A Research Project with 13 First Nations Communities in Ontario (The Prenatal Opioid Exposure Project)

Contact

Aggie Mazzucco: aggie.mazzucco@sickkids.ca

Principal Investigators

Astrid Guttmann (ICES, Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Children, SickKids, University of Toronto)
Serene Kerpan (Vancouver Island University, ICES) 

Project summary

In Phase 1, the Prenatal Opioid Exposure Project Team partnered with 13 First Nations communities in the lower half of Ontario to learn more about the impacts of prenatal opioid exposure, as well as ways to strengthen support to families and reduce prenatal opioid exposure. Read the report here.

In Phase 2, participating First Nations are using the findings from Phase 1 to design, implement, and evaluate knowledge mobilization products and activities to increase awareness and understanding about prenatal opioid exposure among community members. The project team will also be updating the analyses of rates and trends of prenatal opioid exposure and neonatal abstinence syndrome to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Audience: First Nations children, families and caregivers, service providers and educators, and communities impacted by prenatal opioid exposure

Phase 1 project: Prenatal Opioid Exposure and Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome: A Research Project with 13 First Nations Communities in Ontario

Project updates

2023-24

The Prenatal Opioid Exposure Project Team has developed a research protocol for Phase 2. Many communities have begun to form cross-disciplinary, knowledge mobilization advisory working groups to advance the project.