Commentary on Milloy et al. (2010): The stark reality of overdose mortality among indigenous peoples--a(nother) plea for action.

摘要

The paper by Milloy and colleagues highlights the significant problem of injecting drug use among First Nations people in Vancouver [1] which is perhaps mirrored in other areas of Canada and for indigenous peoples living within dominant non-indigenous surrounds, globally. The authors have clearly shown the troubling rates of injecting drug use and its devastating effects, particularly in terms of overdose-related mortality, among Status Indians. Especially apparent are the high rates of overdose-related mortality amongst women in Downtown Eastside Vancouver, a finding that has been reiterated in other studies [2]. The authors recognise their findings are likely to be an underestimate of overdose mortality burden for the study period (2001-2005) and that the true magnitude of the problem is likely to be much greater.