This summary report presents findings on all drug-induced deaths (i.e., overdose and other drug-induced deaths where drugs have been deemed the underlying cause of death) in the Australian Capital Territory from 1999-00 to 2020-2021.

There were 875 hospitalisations with a drug-related principal diagnosis in the Australian Capital Territory in 2020-21. 

This is equivalent to 192 hospitalisations per 100,000 people, which was similar to the rate in 2019-20 (194 hospitalisations per 100,000 people) and higher than the rate in 1999-00 (125 hospitalisations per 100,000 people).

These findings are part of the national report Trends in drug-related hospitalisations in Australia, 1999-2021.

Our public online data visualisation allows viewers to disaggregate data in different ways, and to download these images for their own use.

Recommended citation

Chrzanowska, A., Man, N., Akhurst, J., Sutherland, R., Degenhardt, L. & Peacock, A. (2022). Trends in drug-related hospitalisations in Australia, 1999-2021. Sydney: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW Sydney. DOI: 10.26190/wrsv-3b78

Data source 

We acknowledge the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and jurisdictional data custodians for the provision of data from the National Hospital Morbidity Database.

Funding 

The Drug Trends program is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care under the Drug and Alcohol Program. 

Copyright

Please note that any representation of these data should include an acknowledgment of Drug Trends at the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales.

©NDARC, UNSW SYDNEY 2022 

This work is copyright. You may download, display, print and reproduce this material in unaltered form only (retaining this notice) for your personal, non-commercial use or use within your organisation. All other rights are reserved. Requests and enquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to the information manager, NDARC, UNSW Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia via drugtrends@unsw.edu.au. 

NIDIP drug-related hospitalisations 2020-21 - ACT

Report breakdown

Sex 

The rate of hospitalisations was higher among females than males in 2020-21 (234 versus 150 hospitalisations per 100,000 people, respectively). 

Age 

In 2020-21, the rate of hospitalisations was highest among the 10-19 age group, followed by the 20-29 and 30-39 age groups (426, 346, and 215 hospitalisations per 100,000 people, respectively). Among males, the rate of drug-related hospitalisations was highest in the 20-29 age group, and among females in the 10-19 age group. 

Remoteness Area of Usual Residence 

Over 99.8% of the population in the Australian Capital Territory resided in major city areas and the remaining resided in inner regional areas. For this reason, data on hospitalisations by remoteness area are not presented. 

External Cause of Drug Poisoning 

Two-thirds (69%) of drug-related hospitalisations in the Australian Capital Territory were due to drug poisoning. Furthermore, 77% of drug poisoning-related hospitalisations were intentional (105 hospitalisations per 100,000 people) and 16% were unintentional (21 hospitalisations per 100,000 people).  

Drug Type 

In 2020-21, the rate of hospitalisations was highest where there was a principal diagnosis indicating non-opioid analgesics (43 hospitalisations per 100,000 people. 

Compared to 2019-20, there was a significant decrease in the rate of hospitalisations involving opioids in 2020-21 (p=0.004).   

Age-standardised rate per 100,000 people of drug-related hospitalisations, by sex, the Australian Capital Territory, 1999-00 to 2020-21.

Age-standardised rate per 100,000 people of drug-related hospitalisations, by principal diagnosis of mental and behavioural disorder due to substance use (A) and external cause of poisoning (B), the Australian Capital Territory, 1999-00 to 2020-21.

Note: Age-standardised rates were not calculated if the number of hospitalisations was less than or equal to 10 (please refer to our methods document for details). Suppressed data are visible as gaps in the data series.

Age-standardised rate per 100,000 people of drug-related hospitalisations, by drug identified in the principal diagnosis, the Australian Capital Territory, 1999-00 to 2020-21.

Note: Age-standardised rates were not calculated if the number of hospitalisations was less than or equal to 10 (please refer to our methods document for details). Suppressed data are visible as gaps in the data series.