This bulletin provides interpretation of final data on accidental opioid induced deaths in Australia in 2008, and estimated data for 2009 and 2010.
NB: The data for 2009 and 2010 are not final and are likely to change. We have estimated figures for 2009 and 2010 based on changes that occurred in the 2008 and 2009 data revisions.
Opioid deaths include those due to heroin, but may also include overdoses due to other opioids such as opium, morphine and oxycodone.
In this bulletin deaths refer to accidental deaths in which opioids were determined to be the underlying cause of death – that is, that they were the primary factor responsible for the person’s death. They are coded according to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Problems, 10th revision (ICD-10).