Are younger and older Australians hospitalised for different types of pharmaceutical drug-related harms?

In 2020-21, poisonings were the most common type of pharmaceutical drug-related harm for which Australians were hospitalised across all age groups. Mental and behavioural disorders were most prevalent among those aged 20-29 years.

Among Australians aged less than 15 years, 99% of hospital separations for pharmaceutical drug-related harms were due to poisonings, and 1% were due to mental and behavioural disorders.

Among Australians aged 15-19 years, 79% of hospital separations for pharmaceutical drug-related harms were due to poisonings, and 21% were due to mental and behavioural disorders.

Among Australians aged 20-29 years, 64% of hospital separations for pharmaceutical drug-related harms were due to poisonings, and 36% were due to mental and behavioural disorders.

Among Australians aged 30-39 years, 69% of hospital separations for pharmaceutical drug-related harms were due to poisonings, and 31% were due to mental and behavioural disorders.

Among Australians aged 40-49 years, 81% of hospital separations for pharmaceutical drug-related harms were due to poisonings, and 19% were due to mental and behavioural disorders.

Among Australians aged 50-59 years, 88% of hospital separations for pharmaceutical drug-related harms were due to poisonings, and 12% were due to mental and behavioural disorders.

Among Australians aged 60+ years, 88% of hospital separations for pharmaceutical drug-related harms were due to poisonings, and 12% were due to mental and behavioural disorders.

Source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). National Hospital Morbidity Database, 2020-21 (NCETA secondary analysis, 2022).

Please note: For the purpose of this FAQ, poisoning by pharmaceutical drugs includes: Poisoning by salicylates; Poisoning by other nonopioid analgesics and antipyretics, not elsewhere classified; Poisoning by other opioids; Poisoning by methadone; Poisoning by other synthetic narcotics; and Poisoning by benzodiazepines. Mental and behavioural disorders due to the use of pharmaceutical drugs includes: Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of sedatives or hypnotics. However, in 2020-21 data were not available for: Poisoning by nonopioid analgesic, antipyretic and antirheumatic, unspecified.

The National Hospital Morbidity Database cannot distinguish between hospital separations due to non-medical use of pharmaceuticals and hospital separations due to the use of pharmaceuticals as directed by a doctor.

Hospital Separation: An episode of care for an admitted patient, which can be:

  • a total hospital stay (from admission to discharge, transfer or death); or
  • a portion of a hospital stay beginning or ending in a change of type of care (for example, from acute to rehabilitation).

Separation also means the process by which an admitted patient completes an episode of care either by being discharged, transferring to another hospital, changing type of care, or dying.