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. 2025 Aug;116(4):498-508.
doi: 10.17269/s41997-025-01034-4. Epub 2025 Apr 28.

Naloxone awareness and acquisition: Findings from the 2021‒2022 Canadian Postsecondary Education Alcohol and Drug Use Survey

Jacqueline Burt  1 , Emilia Krzeminska  2
Affiliations

Naloxone awareness and acquisition: Findings from the 2021‒2022 Canadian Postsecondary Education Alcohol and Drug Use Survey

Jacqueline Burt et al. Can J Public Health. 2025 Aug.

Abstract
in English, French

Objectives: This cross-sectional study assessed naloxone awareness, acquisition rates, and reasons for acquisition among postsecondary students in Canada aged 17‒25 years.

Methods: Using data from the 2021‒2022 Canadian Postsecondary Education Alcohol and Drug Use Survey, we conducted descriptive analyses of 31,643 students to characterize naloxone awareness, acquisition, and reasons for acquisition overall and by age, gender, race, international student status, and opioid pain reliever (OPR) use. Using multivariable logistic regression, we assessed the relationship between demographic variables and naloxone awareness and acquisition.

Results: Among postsecondary students in Canada, only 47% had heard of naloxone, and only 5% had acquired it in the past year. Significant predictors of naloxone awareness and acquisition included gender, age, race, international student status, and OPR use. Older students, non-binary students, domestic students, and Indigenous students had higher odds of both naloxone awareness and acquisition. Students who had used OPRs in the past year were less likely to be aware of naloxone (AOR = 0.85, 95% CI: 0.80-0.91). However, among those who were aware, they were more likely to have acquired naloxone (AOR = 1.16, 95% CI: 1.01-1.34) than those who had not used OPRs. Among students who had acquired naloxone in the past year, 97% reported their main reason for obtaining it was for use in emergencies involving other people.

Conclusion: Low naloxone awareness and acquisition among postsecondary students in Canada represent an important public health gap. Increasing naloxone awareness and acquisition may play an important role in enhancing safety on campuses and beyond.

RéSUMé: OBJECTIFS: Cette étude transversale a évalué la connaissance de la naloxone, les taux d’acquisition et les raisons de son acquisition parmi les étudiants canadiens de niveau postsecondaire âgés de 17 à 25 ans. MéTHODE: En utilisant les données de l’Enquête canadienne sur la consommation d’alcool et de drogue dans les établissements d’enseignement postsecondaire de 2021–2022, nous avons effectué des analyses descriptives sur 31 643 étudiants pour caractériser la connaissance de la naloxone, son acquisition et les raisons de cette acquisition, globalement et en fonction de l’âge, du genre, de la race, du statut d’étudiant international et de la consommation d’opioïdes. À l’aide d’une régression logistique multivariée, nous avons évalué la relation entre les variables démographiques et la connaissance et l’acquisition de la naloxone. RéSULTATS: Parmi les étudiants de l’enseignement postsecondaire au Canada, seuls 47% d’entre eux avaient entendu parler de la naloxone, et seuls 5% en avaient fait l’acquisition au cours de l’année écoulée. Les indicateurs significatifs de la connaissance et de l’acquisition de la naloxone sont le genre, l’âge, la race, le statut d’étudiant international et la consommation d’opioïdes. Les étudiants plus âgés, les étudiants non-binaires, les étudiants nationaux et les étudiants autochtones avaient des chances plus élevées de connaître la naloxone et d’en avoir déjà acquis. Les étudiants ayant consommé des opioïdes au cours de l’année écoulée étaient moins susceptibles d’être conscients de la naloxone (AOR = 0,85, IC 95%: 0,80–0,91). Cependant, parmi ceux qui en étaient informés, ils étaient plus susceptibles de l’avoir obtenue (AOR = 1,16, IC 95%: 1,01–1,34) que ceux qui n’avaient pas consommé d’opioïdes. Parmi les étudiants ayant acquis de la naloxone au cours de l’année écoulée, 97% ont déclaré que la principale raison pour laquelle ils l’avaient obtenue était pour l’utiliser dans des situations d’urgence impliquant d’autres personnes. CONCLUSION: Le faible niveau de connaissance et d’acquisition de la naloxone chez les étudiants de l’enseignement postsecondaire au Canada représente une lacune importante dans les efforts de santé publique. Une meilleure connaissance de la naloxone et son acquisition accrue peuvent jouer un rôle important dans l’amélioration de la sécurité sur les campus et au-delà.

Keywords: Antagonists, opioid; Canada; Health knowledge, attitudes, practice; Naloxone; Students.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval: The Canadian Postsecondary Education Alcohol and Drug Use Survey was approved by the Health Canada and Public Health Agency of Canada Research Ethics Board (REB 2017-027H). It was conducted in accordance with the ethical standards as laid down in the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments. Consent to participate: Not applicable. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Conflict of interest: The authors declare no competing interests.

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