In the midst of a serious opioid crisis, we have continued to examine how sex and gender affect prescribing practices, use, and stigma surrounding opioids. We consider how women’s higher rates of chronic pain result in women being more likely to be prescribed and rely on opioids, as well as how different fields can work collaboratively to support women who use opioids.

Info Sheets and Guides:

  • Women and Prescription Opioids (2024) – This info sheet summarizes the research on prescription opioids and women’s health, including during pregnancy and postpartum.
  • Women, Chronic Pain & Prescription Opioids (English, French, 2024) – This info sheet provides an overview of prescription opioids, how they impact women’s health, and why women may use prescription opioids in their pain management plan.
  • Women and Chronic Pain: An Information Guide for Health and Social Service Providers (2024) – This information package for health and social service providers supports learning on women’s chronic pain, strategies for effective pain management, and how to support women in accessing comprehensive care.
  • What is Chronic Pain and How Can I Manage It? Information for Women Living with Chronic Pain (2024) – This information package for women with chronic pain was designed to increase understanding about chronic pain and evidence-based strategies to manage pain.
  • Pain Management Strategies for Women with Chronic Pain (English, French, 2024) – This resource describes evidence-based pain management strategies and how they can be used for pain management.
  • Finding Trauma-Informed Support (2024) This info sheet was created to help women find, and advocate for, trauma-informed healthcare and social services.
  • Women and Chronic Pain Conditions (English, French, 2024) – This infographic highlights nine chronic pain conditions that disproportionately impact women.
  • Women, Chronic Pain, and Prescription Opioids (English, French, 2024) – 8 Key Facts and Ideas for Action
  • 8 Most Evidenced Treatments for Women’s Chronic Pain (English, French, 2024) – This infographic explores the eight most frequently cited pain management strategies for women’s chronic pain and how they can be used for pain and symptom management.

Toolkits:

  • Mothering and Opioids: Addressing Stigma – Acting Collaboratively (English, French 2020) – This toolkit highlights culturally safe, trauma informed, harm reduction-oriented and collaborative approaches for health and social service providers and health system planners who offer services to, or design services with, pregnant women and new mothers who use substances.
  • Trauma Informed Practice and the Opioid Crisis: A Discussion Guide for Health Care and Social Service Providers (2018) – This discussion guide is intended to assist health care and social service providers in considering additional ways of addressing the opioid crisis.
  • Women and Opioids: Media Guide (2018) – This media guide provides quick facts and suggestions for reporting on women and opioids.

Reports:

  • Including Sex, Gender, and Equity in the Action Plan for Pain in Canada (2024) – A policy report that examines the research on sex and gender factors affecting chronic pain and applies SGBA+ to the Action Plan for Pain in Canada.
  • Experiences of Women Living with Chronic Pain in Accessing Prescribed Opioids: Scoping Review Executive Summary (English, French, 2023) – This executive summary summarizes the main findings from a scoping review on women’s experiences with prescription opioid use for chronic pain.

Training:

Learn more:

  • Visit the Publications page to find related journal articles and other publications of interest.