What proportion of alcohol and drug treatment episodes in Australia are related to pharmaceutical drugs?
Pharmaceutical drugs† are the principal drug of concern in 4% of all alcohol and other drug treatment episodes in Australia. Benzodiazepines account for the largest proportion of these pharmaceutical drug-related treatment episodes (43%).
Benzodiazepines accounts for 43% of all pharmaceutical-drug related treatment episodes in Australia, codeine accounts for 5%, morphine accounts for 7%, buprenorphine accounts for 24%, methadone accounts for 11%, and oxycodone accounts for 10%.
Source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment Services in Australia 2022-23.
Please note: Percentages may not tally to 100% due to rounding.
† This FAQ uses data from the Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment Services National Minimum Dataset, which defines the pharmaceutical drugs referred to in this question as: benzodiazepines, codeine, morphine, buprenorphine, oxycodone, and methadone.
Principal Drug of Concern: The main substance that leads an individual to seek treatment from an alcohol and drug treatment agency (as stated by the individual).
Treatment Episode: A period of contact between a client and a treatment provider. Only ‘closed’ treatment episodes are included in the data used here. An episode is closed if there is a change in the principal drug of concern, main treatment, or service delivery setting; if the treatment ends; or if the patient is imprisoned or dies.