Have men and women in Australia used different types of pharmaceutical drugs in their lifetime?
Women are more likely than men to have used pain-killers/pain-relievers/opioids and tranquillisers/sleeping pills during their lifetime. The same proportion of men and women have used methadone/buprenorphine.
62% of men have used pain-killers/pain-relievers/opioids during their lifetime, compared to 68% of women.
21% of men have used tranquillisers/sleeping pills during their lifetime, compared to 29% of women.
1% of men have used methadone/buprenorphine during their lifetime, compared to 1% of women.
Source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). 2019 National Drug Strategy Household Survey (NCETA secondary analysis, 2021).
†This FAQ uses data from the National Drug Strategy Household Survey, which defines the pharmaceutical drugs referred to in this question as: the medical or non-medical use of pain-killers/pain-relievers/opioids (oxycodone, morphine, codeine products such as panadeine forte (excluding paracetamol, asprin and ibuprofen where these drugs are the only active ingredients)), tranquillisers/sleeping pills (e.g., sleepers, benzos, tranks, temazzies, temaze, rivotril, serepax, serries, xanax, xannies, stilnox, rohypnol, rowies, valium) and methadone/buprenorphine (e.g., done, junk, jungle juice, bupe, sub).
Non-medical use: A drug used:
- By itself to induce a drug experience or feeling; or
- With other drugs in order to enhance a drug experience.