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Trends in drug-related hospitalisations in South Australia, 1999-2020

South Australia

There were 5,157 hospitalisations with a drug-related principal diagnosis in South Australia in 2019-20, equivalent to 0.66% of all hospitalisations in South Australia.

This is equivalent to 316 hospitalisations per 100,000 people, which was a significant increase from 2018-19 (277 hospitalisations per 100,000 people; p<0.001) (Table 1) and higher than the rate in 1999-00 (208 hospitalisations per 100,000 people) (Figure 1).

Sex

The rate of hospitalisations was higher among females than males in 2019-20 (323 versus 309 hospitalisations per 100,000 people).

Age

In 2019-20, the rate of hospitalisations was highest among the 20-29 age group, followed by the 30-39 and 40-49 age groups (572, 503, and 444 hospitalisations per 100,000 people, respectively).

Remoteness Area of Usual Residence

The highest rate of hospitalisations in 2019-20 was observed in outer regional South Australia (527 hospitalisations per 100,000 people), while the number of hospitalisations was highest in major cities (3,278 hospitalisations) (Figure 2).

External Cause of Drug Poisoning

In 2019-20, 53% of drug-related hospitalisations in South Australia were due to drug poisoning. Furthermore, 67% of drug poisoning related hospitalisations were intentional (109 hospitalisations per 100,000 people) and 22% were unintentional (35 hospitalisations per 100,000 people) (Figure 3).

Drug Type

In 2019-20, the rate of hospitalisations was highest where there was a principal diagnosis indicating amphetamines and other stimulants (106 hospitalisations per 100,000 people) (Figure 4).

Compared to 2018-19, there were significant decreases in 2019-20 in the rates of hospitalisations related to antipsychotics and neuroleptics; and opioids (p<0.050) (Table 1).

In contrast, there were significant increases in the rates of hospitalisations related to amphetamines and other stimulants; antiepileptic, sedative-hypnotic and antiparkinsonism drugs; cannabinoids; antidepressants; multiple drug use; cocaine; and hallucinogens (p<0.050) (Table 1).


Figure 1. Age-standardised rate per 100,000 people of drug-related hospitalisations, by sex, South Australia, 1999-00 to 2019-20.


Figure 2. Age-standardised rate per 100,000 people of drug-related hospitalisations, by remoteness, South Australia, 2012-13 to 2019-20.

Note: The size (area) of the bubble is proportional to the number of hospitalisations. Data by remoteness are only available from 2012-13.


Figure 3. Age-standardised rate per 100,000 people of drug-related hospitalisations, by principal diagnosis of mental and behavioural disorder due to substance use (A) and external cause of poisoning (B), South Australia, 1999-00 to 2019-20.

Note: Age-standardised rates were not calculated if the number of hospitalisations was less than or equal to 10 (please refer to our methods document for details). Suppressed data are visible as gaps in the data series.


Figure 4. Age-standardised rate per 100,000 people of drug-related hospitalisations, by drug identified in the principal diagnosis, South Australia, 1999-00 to 2019-20.

Note: Age-standardised rates were not calculated if the number of hospitalisations was less than or equal to 10 (please refer to our methods document for details). Suppressed data are visible as gaps in the data series.


Table 1. Age-standardised rate per 100,000 people of drug-related hospitalisations in 2019-20 and rate ratio and p-value for difference compared to 2018-19, in South Australia by drug type identified in the principal diagnosis


Age-standardised rate (95% CI) 2019-20 versus 2018-19
Drug 2019-20 2018-19 Rate ratio P-value
All drugs 316 (307,325) 277 (269,285) 1.14 (1.13,1.15) <0.001
Amphetamines and other stimulants 106 (101,111) 83 (78,87) 1.28 (1.25,1.31) <0.001
Antiepileptic, sedative-hypnotic and antiparkinsonism drugs 56 (53,60) 42 (39,46) 1.33 (1.29,1.37) <0.001
Non-opioid analgesics 38 (35,41) 39 (36,42) 0.99 (0.96,1.02) 0.478
Cannabinoids 25 (23,28) 20 (18,23) 1.25 (1.20,1.30) <0.001
Antipsychotics and neuroleptics 23 (21,25) 26 (23,28) 0.89 (0.85,0.92) <0.001
Antidepressants 23 (20,25) 21 (19,23) 1.07 (1.03,1.12) 0.001
Opioids 20 (18,22) 25 (22,27) 0.81 (0.77,0.84) <0.001
Multiple drug use 17 (15,19) 15 (13,17) 1.11 (1.06,1.17) <0.001
Volatile solvents 3.7 ( 2.9, 4.8) 3.7 ( 2.8, 4.7) 1.02 (0.92,1.13) 0.762
Cocaine 2.5 ( 1.8, 3.4) 1.8 ( 1.2, 2.6) 1.35 (1.17,1.54) <0.001
Hallucinogens 2.0 ( 1.3, 2.8) 1.4 ( 0.9, 2.1) 1.38 (1.18,1.61) <0.001
Note: 95% confidence intervals for the age-standardised rate and rate ratio are shown in brackets. Please refer to our methods document on 'Presentation of results' for interpretation of rate ratios. Please also refer to our methods document on 'Scope of the data' and 'Coding of hospitalisations' for specifications of data selected and all exclusions.


Funding

The Drug Trends program is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health under the Drug and Alcohol Program.

Acknowledgements

We would like to acknowledge the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare for data from the National Hospital Morbidity Database.

Recommended citation

Chrzanowska, A., Man, N., Sutherland, R., Degenhardt, L. & Peacock, A. (2021). Trends in drug-related hospitalisations in Australia, 1999-2020. Sydney: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW Sydney.

Related Links

Hospitalisations data visualisations: https://drugtrends.shinyapps.io/hospital_separations

Hospitalisations methods document: https://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/resource-analytics/trends-drug-related-hospitalisations-australia-1999-2020

For other Drug Trends publications on drug-related hospitalisations and drug-induced deaths, go to: https://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/project/national-illicit-drug-indicators-project-nidip

For more information on NDARC research, go to: http://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/

For more information about the AIHW and NHMD, go to: https://www.aihw.gov.au/

For more information on ICD coding go to: http://www.who.int/classifications/icd/en/ https://www.ihpa.gov.au/what-we-do/icd-10-am-achi-acs-current-edition

For more research from the Drug Trends program go to: https://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/program/drug-trends

Contact us

Email: drugtrends@unsw.edu.au