Learn how creativity and innovation can be used to address the fentanyl crisis at the Festival of Health on May 26.
Although the ongoing opioid crisis is impacting many Canadian families, stigma around addiction and substance use means that many people don't have the factual information they need to tackle these important issues.
Experts will be at the Festival of Health on May 26 to discuss the treatment of addiction and to educate about opioid use and prevention.
Focusing on possible treatments for addiction, Krishna Balachandra, assistant clinical professor of psychiatry, will provide an update on the latest scientific understanding of addiction, a subject that is commonly misunderstood. He will also discuss new possible treatments for addiction.
Doctors Against Tragedies
When it comes to prevention and education, physicians, medical students and other health professionals have partnered to create innovative ways to capture youths' attention.
Based on the popular game Cards Against Humanity, Doctors Against Tragedies addresses the fentanyl crisis through humour and hard-hitting facts.
Lindsay Delmar, a second-year medical student and member of the Doctors Against Tragedies team will discuss the edgy-yet-educational game and how it teaches about fentanyl use through play.
The cards contain facts about fentanyl, local health-service resources and what to do in the event of an overdose.
According to Delmar, many social awareness campaigns use fear tactics to get the message across, which has proven to be ineffective. Doctors Against Tragedies has taken a different approach-fun and humour-to raise public awareness about the crisis we are facing.
"Creativity and innovation can be used to address the fentanyl crisis," said Delmar.
Doctors Against Tragedies has developed into a multidisciplinary team and has spread across Canada, the US and other parts of the world. The group continues to expand and is currently in the process of creating expansion packs to address other topics like sexual health, social media safety, physician wellness and more.
Don't miss this opportunity to learn about addictions treatment and prevention at the Festival of Health on May 26.
The Festival of Health
Register here for your free ticket
Edmonton Clinic Health Academy 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.
North Campus, University of Alberta
Barbecue and Entertainment
11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Rapid Fire Presentations and Ask The Experts: Q & A Session
1 - 2:30 p.m.
Info Sessions and Tours
3 - 5 p.m.
More information available at uab.ca/healthfest.