Prevalence of problematic opioid use in Ireland, 2020–2022

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dc.contributor.authorHanrahan, Michael T
dc.contributor.authorMillar, Seán R.
dc.contributor.authorMongan, Deirdre
dc.contributor.authorLyons, Suzi
dc.contributor.authorGalvin, Brian
dc.date.accessioned2026-11-02T15:21:01Z
dc.date.available2026-11-02T15:21:01Z
dc.date.issued2025
dc.description.abstractExecutive summary Overview of the study: This report presents the findings from a study that aimed to estimate the prevalence of problematic opioid use in Ireland from 2020 to 2022 utilising a four-source capture-recapture methodology. The analysis incorporated three data sources from opioid substitution treatment (OST) records obtained from the Central Treatment List (CTL), which includes clinics, general practitioners (GPs), and prisons. The fourth data source was provided by the Probation Service. Key findings: Table 1 presents a summary of the study’s main results, stratified by County Dublin versus the rest of Ireland, as well as by age group and sex. In 2022, it was estimated that there were approximately 19,460 individuals in Ireland with problematic opioid use (95% confidence interval (CI): 19,348–23,158), which equates to a prevalence rate of 5.79 per 1,000 population (95% CI: 5.76–6.89). A significant majority of these individuals were male (67.9%), and more than twothirds (75.3%) fell within the older age group of 35–64-year-olds. There were an estimated 11,100 problematic opioid users (95% CI: 10,684–13,761) in County Dublin in 2022, reflecting a rate more than three times higher than that in the rest of Ireland (11.17 per 1,000 population (95% CI: 10.75–13.85) compared with 3.53 per 1,000 population (95% CI: 3.46–4.37)). Additional insights: This report also includes estimates for prevalence rates across Regional Health Areas (RHAs), Community Healthcare Organisation (CHO) areas, Regional Drug and Alcohol Task Force (RDATF) areas, and selected cities. Data on the prevalence of problematic opioid use for the years 2020 and 2021 are also presented to illustrate trends over time. Although there was a slight decrease in the overall number of problematic opioid users between 2020 and 2022, this decrease was not statistically significant. Notably, however, the prevalence of problematic opioid use among 15–24-year-olds appears to be decreasing.en
dc.description.versionPublished Version
dc.format.extent46
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen
dc.identifier.authororcidHanrahan, Michael T
dc.identifier.authororcidMillar, Seán R.§0000-0003-4453-8446
dc.identifier.authororcidMongan, Deirdre
dc.identifier.authororcidLyons, Suzi
dc.identifier.authororcidGalvin, Brian
dc.identifier.citationHanrahan, M T, Millar, S R, Mongan, D, Lyons, S & Galvin, B 2025, Prevalence of problematic opioid use in Ireland, 2020–2022. Health Research Board, Dublin. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.10360.10249
dc.identifier.doi10.13140/RG.2.2.10360.10249
dc.identifier.isbn9781903669341
dc.identifier.otherORCID: /0000-0003-4453-8446/work/182452320
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10468/19546
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherHealth Research Board
dc.relation.urihttps://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/42700/
dc.rights© 2025, authors. Health Research Board
dc.rights.accessrightsopen access
dc.rights.uriunspecified
dc.statusPeer reviewed
dc.subjectOpioid use
dc.subjectTrends
dc.subjectIreland
dc.subjectDrug use prevalence
dc.subjectDrug abuse
dc.subject[PublicHealth]
dc.titlePrevalence of problematic opioid use in Ireland, 2020–2022en
dc.typeReport
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