Queensland
There were 14,893 hospitalisations with a drug-related principal diagnosis in Queensland in 2019-20, equivalent to 0.55% of all hospitalisations in Queensland.
This is equivalent to 300 hospitalisations per 100,000 people, which was a significant increase from 2018-19 (291 hospitalisations per 100,000 people; p<0.001) (Table 1) and higher than the rate in 1999-00 (218 hospitalisations per 100,000 people) (Figure 1).
Sex
The rate of hospitalisations was higher among females than males in 2019-20 (307 versus 294 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 (575, 476, and 360 hospitalisations per 100,000 people, respectively).
Remoteness Area of Usual Residence
The highest rate of hospitalisations in 2019-20 was observed in outer regional Queensland (326 hospitalisations per 100,000 people), while the number of hospitalisations was highest in major cities (9,884 hospitalisations) (Figure 2).
External Cause of Drug Poisoning
In 2019-20, 56% of drug-related hospitalisations in Queensland were due to drug poisoning. Furthermore, 72% of drug poisoning related hospitalisations were intentional (121 hospitalisations per 100,000 people) and 21% were unintentional (34 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 (82 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 non-opioid analgesics; opioids; and antipsychotics and neuroleptics (p<0.050) (Table 1).
In contrast, there were significant increases in the rates of hospitalisations related to amphetamines and other stimulants; cannabinoids; multiple drug use; volatile solvents; and hallucinogens (p<0.050) (Table 1).
Figure 1. Age-standardised rate per 100,000 people of drug-related hospitalisations, by sex, Queensland, 1999-00 to 2019-20.
Figure 2. Age-standardised rate per 100,000 people of drug-related hospitalisations, by remoteness, Queensland, 2018-19 to 2019-20.
Note: The size (area) of the bubble is proportional to the number of hospitalisations. Data by remoteness area are only provided for 2018-19 and 2019-20 in Queensland.
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), Queensland, 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, Queensland, 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 Queensland 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 | 300 (295,305) | 291 (286,296) | 1.03 (1.02,1.04) | <0.001 |
| Amphetamines and other stimulants | 82 (80,85) | 70 (67,72) | 1.18 (1.16,1.21) | <0.001 |
| Antiepileptic, sedative-hypnotic and antiparkinsonism drugs | 52 (50,54) | 51 (49,53) | 1.02 (1.00,1.05) | 0.099 |
| Non-opioid analgesics | 38 (37,40) | 42 (40,44) | 0.91 (0.88,0.94) | <0.001 |
| Opioids | 31 (29,32) | 36 (34,37) | 0.86 (0.83,0.89) | <0.001 |
| Cannabinoids | 27 (26,29) | 24 (22,25) | 1.15 (1.11,1.20) | <0.001 |
| Antidepressants | 26 (25,28) | 26 (25,28) | 0.99 (0.95,1.03) | 0.622 |
| Antipsychotics and neuroleptics | 22 (21,24) | 23 (22,25) | 0.95 (0.91,0.99) | 0.010 |
| Multiple drug use | 12 (11,13) | 12 (11,13) | 1.06 (1.00,1.12) | 0.049 |
| Volatile solvents | 4.9 ( 4.3, 5.6) | 4.0 ( 3.4, 4.6) | 1.24 (1.13,1.36) | <0.001 |
| Hallucinogens | 2.3 ( 1.9, 2.8) | 2.0 ( 1.6, 2.4) | 1.17 (1.03,1.34) | 0.020 |
| Cocaine | 1.7 ( 1.3, 2.1) | 1.7 ( 1.3, 2.1) | 1.01 (0.87,1.18) | 0.891 |
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