Opioid-related deaths in Australia

From 2007 to 2009, the number of opioid drug deaths identified on the National Coronial Information System (NCIS) increased by 25.0% (744 deaths in 2007 compared to 934 in 2009), with an apparent subsequent decrease in opioid related fatalities in 2010 and 2011.

The identified opioid drug deaths had the following characteristics:

• The majority of deaths were deemed unintentional (71.2%), while almost one-sixth were due to an act of intentional self-harm (15.8%).
• Over two-thirds of deaths involved males (67.1%), with the highest proportion aged between 35-44 years (28.4%).
• A slightly higher proportion of females compared with males were involved in deaths involving codeine-containing products.
• Heroin was the opioid drug most frequently involved in death (particularly in cases of sole drug involvement), with 84.4% of all heroin-related deaths involving males. 87.6% of all heroin related deaths were unintentional in nature.
• Methadone and oxycodone were the second and third most frequently identified opioids involved in death.
• Almost three quarters of opioid drug deaths occurred in combination with non-opioid drugs (74.5%). Of the drug classes examined, benzodiazepines and alcohol were the non-opioid drug classes most frequently identified.
• Codeine-containing products, morphine, oxycodone and tramadol were more likely to be involved in intentional self-harm deaths than heroin or methadone.

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