Drug Induced Deaths in Australia

Harmful drug use continues to be a serious public health issue in Australia with 1,808 drug induced deaths registered in 2016, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics report, 'Causes of Death, Australia 2016'.

This is the highest number of drug deaths in 20 years, and is similar to the number recorded in the late 1990s, when a steep increase in opioid use, specifically heroin, led to deaths peaking at 1,740 in 1999. Although the number of drug induced deaths is the highest on record, the death rate per capita of 7.5 per 100,000 people is lower than that in 1999 (9.2 deaths per 100,000 people).

Changes in drug deaths have been significant over this period, the report said.  In 2016, an individual dying from a drug induced death in Australia was most likely to be a middle aged male, living outside of a capital city who is misusing prescription drugs such as benzodiazepines or oxycodone in a polypharmacy setting.

The death was also said most likely to be an accident. This profile is quite different from that in 1999, where a person who died from a drug induced death was most likely to be younger (early 30s) with morphine, heroin or benzodiazepines detected on toxicology at death.

The ABS summary article provides further information and analysis on the demography of drug induced deaths in Australia in 2016. To read the full ABS analysis and its implications go to abs.gov.au.

Source: pharmacydaily.com.au, Thursday 28 September 2017