Faculty profile

Karen Urbanoski

ResearcherCanadian Institute for Substance Use ResearchUniversity of Victoria

This profile is built from public research funding records (CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC) and PubMed. We have not imported them from a University of Victoria directory, so their courses and email address may be missing. Find their university profile.

Karen Urbanoski

Researcher

Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research

Health Sciences

University of Victoria

Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Supervision signals

Has led research grants, which requires an independent research appointment. Ask their department whether they supervise graduate students.
33 publications in the last five years, latest in 2026.
Senior (last) author on 8 recent papers, a sign of leading a research group.
Principal investigator on 6 research grants (5 CIHR, 1 SSHRC), most recently in 2026.
Supervised 1 trainee who won CIHR awards, most recently in 2020.

These signals come from public records, including CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC funding decisions. Ask the professor or the graduate program whether they are taking new students.

Academic metrics

Publications

Citations

h-index

Collaborators

Grants

Publications by year

Counts cover the works listed on the university profile; citation counts come from Dimensions.

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Signals and details

Research

Health Equity Health Policy Mixed Methods Overdose Safer Supply Substance Use Crc Health Service Use

Latest papers

The characteristics and experiences of parents accessing prescribed safer supply in BC, 2020-2021.
Harm reduction journal · 2026
Problem representation of the Risk Mitigation Guidance (RMG) within the context of dual public health emergencies of COVID-19 and toxic drug deaths in British Columbia, Canada.
The International journal on drug policy · 2026
"Safer supply is the thing that changes everything": the role of prescribed safer supply in rebuilding trust following experiences of medical abandonment.
BMC public health · 2026 · senior author

All 52 publications

Latest funding

Evolution of prescribed safer supply in Canada: Shifting policy landscapes and implications for population health
CIHR · 2026 · Nominated PI
$1,346,400
A Perinatal Collaborative Community Laboratory on Substance Use and Harm Reduction: The Mothering Co/Lab
SSHRC · 2021 · Co-investigator
$158,400
A mixed methods evaluation of safer supply initiatives to reduce illicit drug overdose in BC
CIHR · 2021 · Nominated PI
$2,050,200

All 11 grants and awards

52 publications.

The characteristics and experiences of parents accessing prescribed safer supply in BC, 2020-2021.

Hogan K, Macevicius C, McLuckie T, McDougall J, Pauly B, Urbanoski K, Barker B

Harm reduction journal2026

DOI: 10.1186/s12954-026-01468-0 PMID: 42108468

Problem representation of the Risk Mitigation Guidance (RMG) within the context of dual public health emergencies of COVID-19 and toxic drug deaths in British Columbia, Canada.

Gudiño Pérez D, Macevicius C, Norton A, Beck-McGreevy P, Selfridge M, Kalicum J, Urbanoski K, Barker B, Slaunwhite A, Arredondo J, Wallace B, Pauly B

The International journal on drug policy2026

DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2025.105102 PMID: 41385807

"Safer supply is the thing that changes everything": the role of prescribed safer supply in rebuilding trust following experiences of medical abandonment.

Kolla G, Pauly B, Henderson N, Cameron F, Toombs K, Clayton E, Irvine J, Ranger C, Rygnestad L, Sereda A, Urbanoski K

BMC public health2026Senior author

DOI: 10.1186/s12889-026-28140-3 PMID: 42298501

The Victoria SAFER initiative: A community-based prescribed safer supply program using fentanyl formulations in Victoria, BC.

Fajber K, Pauly B, Ranger C, Cameron F, Clayton E, Rygnestad L, Henderson N, Irvine J, Herriot R, Urbanoski K, Kolla G

Drug and alcohol dependence2026

DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2026.113156 PMID: 41980573

Integrated treatment programs for pregnant and parenting people support longer retention compared to standard treatment programs: A population-based cohort study.

Urbanoski K, Iwajomo T, Gomes T, de Oliveira C, Milligan K

Journal of substance use and addiction treatment2025First author

DOI: 10.1016/j.josat.2025.209701 PMID: 40274103

Responding to the toxic drug crisis: Promising innovations, gaps, and calls to action.

Urbanoski K, Moore D, Neudorf C, Hyshka E, Knight R

Canadian journal of public health = Revue canadienne de sante publique2025First author

DOI: 10.17269/s41997-025-01068-8 PMID: 40512348

Help-seeking among pregnant and parenting women who use drugs: Mitigating stigma through relationships.

Nichol E, Pauly B, Milligan K, Urbanoski K

The International journal on drug policy2025Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2025.104818 PMID: 40300467

Comprehensive substance use services within primary care settings: The Safer Opioid Supply program at London InterCommunity Health Centre.

Fajber K, Sereda A, Warren S, Morris C, Nash G, Pauly B, Urbanoski K, Kolla G

Canadian journal of public health = Revue canadienne de sante publique2025

DOI: 10.17269/s41997-025-01006-8 PMID: 40072813

Implementing community drug checking in smaller urban communities: a qualitative study exploring contextual factors to consider.

Hutchison A, Urbanoski K, Hore D, Wallace B

Harm reduction journal2025

DOI: 10.1186/s12954-025-01234-8 PMID: 40389977

Implementation of risk mitigation prescribing during dual public health emergencies: A qualitative study among Indigenous people who use drugs and health planners in Northern British Columbia, Canada.

Barker B, Norton A, Wood S, Macevicius C, Hogan K, Cadieux K, Meilleur L, Nosyk B, Urbanoski K, Pauly B, Wieman N

The International journal on drug policy2025

DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2024.104679 PMID: 39709728

Evolution of prescribed safer supply in Canada: Shifting policy landscapes and implications for population health

Nominated PICIHR2026Project Grant

Principal investigators: Urbanoski, Karen A; Ali, Farihah; Barker, Brittany M; Kolla, Gillian; Pauly, Bernadette M; Penn, Rebecca

Keywords: Health Equity; Health Policy; Health Service Use; Mixed Methods; Overdose; Safer Supply

$1,346,400

A Perinatal Collaborative Community Laboratory on Substance Use and Harm Reduction: The Mothering Co/Lab

Co-investigatorSSHRC2021Race, Gender and Diversity Joint Initiative

Principal investigators: Shahram, Sana

Keywords: Perinatal substance use; Harm reduction; Health equity; Surveillance and monitoring; Disaggregated data; Sex and gender; Indigenous research; Community-based research; Determinants of Health; Health systems transformation

$158,400

A mixed methods evaluation of safer supply initiatives to reduce illicit drug overdose in BC

Nominated PICIHR2021Project Grant

Principal investigators: Urbanoski, Karen A; Barker, Brittany M; Nosyk, Bohdan P; Pauly, Bernadette M; Slaunwhite, Amanda K

Keywords: Epidemiology; Harm Reduction; Health Policy; Indigenous Health; Mixed Methods; Overdose; Safer Supply; Substance Use

$2,050,200

A Perinatal Collaborative Community Laboratory on Substance Use and Harm Reduction: The Mothering Co/Lab

Co-investigatorSSHRC2021Race, Gender and Diversity Joint Initiative

Principal investigators: Shahram, Sana

$289,250

A comparative analysis of Safer Supply interventions to address the dual public health crises of overdose and COVID-19 in BC and Ontario

SupervisorCIHR2020CIHR Fellowship

Principal investigators: Kolla, Gillian

Keywords: Covid-19; Health Intervention; Illicit Drug Use; Overdose; People Who Use Drugs; Public Health; Safer Opioid Supply

$135,000

Canada Research Chair - Tier 2

Nominated PICIHR2019Canada Research Chairs - CIHR Funded - Tier 2

Principal investigators: Urbanoski, Karen A

Keywords: Crc

$500,000

The role of child protection in substance use services for women

Principal investigatorSSHRC2019Insight Grants

Principal investigators: Urbanoski, Karen A.

Keywords: women; substance use; parenting; child protection; self-determination

$385,198

Managed Alcohol Programs and Cannabis Substitution: Feasibility and Pilot Study

Co-investigatorCIHR2018Catalyst Grant: Cannabis Research in Urgent Priority Areas

Principal investigators: Pauly, Bernadette M; Sutherland, Christy; Stockwell, Timothy R

Keywords: Alcohol Harm Reduction; Cannabis Substitution; Feasibility Study; Managed Alcohol Programs

Toward an Equity Oriented Framework to Inform Responses to Opioid Overdoses (EOF): A Scoping Review

Co-investigatorCIHR2017Operating Grant: Opioid Crisis Knowledge Synthesis

Principal investigators: Pauly, Bernadette M; O'Briain, Warren; Shahram, Sana; Wallace, Bruce B

Keywords: Decolonization; Equity; Gender; Harm Reduction; Health Equity; Opioid; Opioid Crisis; Scoping Review; Sex

$60,000

Reducing the Stigma of Substance Use and Building Capacity in Patient-Oriented Primary Care Research

Nominated PICIHR2016Patient-Oriented Research Collaboration Grants

Principal investigators: Urbanoski, Karen A; Bullock, William R; Hancock, Christopher; Jill, Cater; Pauly, Bernadette M

Keywords: Community-Based Research; Health Equity; Primary Care; Stigma; Structural Disadvantage; Substance Use

$25,000

From CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC funding decisions: CIHR since 2008, NSERC since 1991 and SSHRC since 1998, including their latest published competition results.

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Karen Urbanoski

Research

Latest papers

Latest funding

The characteristics and experiences of parents accessing prescribed safer supply in BC, 2020-2021.

Problem representation of the Risk Mitigation Guidance (RMG) within the context of dual public health emergencies of COVID-19 and toxic drug deaths in British Columbia, Canada.

"Safer supply is the thing that changes everything": the role of prescribed safer supply in rebuilding trust following experiences of medical abandonment.

The Victoria SAFER initiative: A community-based prescribed safer supply program using fentanyl formulations in Victoria, BC.

Integrated treatment programs for pregnant and parenting people support longer retention compared to standard treatment programs: A population-based cohort study.

Responding to the toxic drug crisis: Promising innovations, gaps, and calls to action.

Help-seeking among pregnant and parenting women who use drugs: Mitigating stigma through relationships.

Comprehensive substance use services within primary care settings: The Safer Opioid Supply program at London InterCommunity Health Centre.

Implementing community drug checking in smaller urban communities: a qualitative study exploring contextual factors to consider.

Implementation of risk mitigation prescribing during dual public health emergencies: A qualitative study among Indigenous people who use drugs and health planners in Northern British Columbia, Canada.

Evolution of prescribed safer supply in Canada: Shifting policy landscapes and implications for population health

A Perinatal Collaborative Community Laboratory on Substance Use and Harm Reduction: The Mothering Co/Lab

A mixed methods evaluation of safer supply initiatives to reduce illicit drug overdose in BC

A Perinatal Collaborative Community Laboratory on Substance Use and Harm Reduction: The Mothering Co/Lab

A comparative analysis of Safer Supply interventions to address the dual public health crises of overdose and COVID-19 in BC and Ontario

Canada Research Chair - Tier 2

The role of child protection in substance use services for women

Managed Alcohol Programs and Cannabis Substitution: Feasibility and Pilot Study

Toward an Equity Oriented Framework to Inform Responses to Opioid Overdoses (EOF): A Scoping Review

Reducing the Stigma of Substance Use and Building Capacity in Patient-Oriented Primary Care Research

Frequent collaborators

Karen Urbanoski

Amanda Slaunwhite

Brittany Barker

Brittany Barker

Bohdan Nosyk

Karen Urbanoski

Karen Milligan

Karen Urbanoski

Karen Milligan

Bohdan Nosyk

Bernadette Pauly

Bruce Wallace

Gillian Kolla

Gillian Kolla

Elaine Hyshka

Brian Rush

Heather Palis

Kurt Lock

Paxton Bach

Mohammad Karamouzian

Tara Gomes

Andrew Ivsins

Geoff Bardwell

Hasina Samji

Carol Strike

Vicky Stergiopoulos

Russell Callaghan

Christian Schütz

Claire de Oliveira

Cecilia Benoit

Marjorie MacDonald

James MacKillop

David Tu

Vicky Stergiopoulos

John Cunningham

David Moore