When a Pandemic Meets an Epidemic: How COVID-19 has Affected Treatment Access Among Individuals with Problematic Opioid Use

The study examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on treatment access among individuals (n=225) presenting with problematic opioid use to the Rapid Access Addiction Medicine (RAAM) clinic at The Royal in Ottawa, Ontario. The COVID-19 pandemic led to government-imposed restrictions and service limitations. The RAAM clinic underwent two primary changes: (1) delivering services virtually rather than in-person appointments and (2) shifting from walk-in services to appointment-based services. The study was a retrospective chart review and data were extracted from an electronic health record, Meditech. Participants were patients who had an initial presentation to the RAAM clinic between March 16th, 2019, and March 15th, 2021, and had used opioids within the 30 days prior to their visit. Results indicated that RAAM changes decreased some groups' access to care such that fewer patients experiencing precarious housing and mental health comorbidities presented to the RAAM clinic after the onset of the pandemic.