Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 18 Feb 1997

Vol. 475 No. 1

Written Answers. - Acute Hospital Admissions.

Ivor Callely

Ceist:

118 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Health the number of admissions to hospitals for the treatment of drug abuse in each of the years 1970, 1980, 1990 and 1995; if he will give a breakdown of age and sex of patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4173/97]

Minister for Health (Mr. Noonan,

Limerick East): The Hospital Inpatient Enquiry (HIPE) System collects details of acute hospital admissions. The following table gives the numbers of patients discharged from acute public hospitals during 1995, where drug related psychosis, dependence, or abuse, was listed as one of the relevant diagnoses. The drugs covered include cannabis, hallucinogens, barbiturates, heroin, methadone, cocaine, amphetamines and antidepressants. Over 80 per cent of these admissions were to hospitals in the Dublin region. Reliable data are not available for earlier years.

Age Category	Total Number	Percent	Male	Female
5 to 9 years	3	0.2	3	0
10 to 14 years	8	0.5	6	2
15 to 19 years	151	10.2	101	50
20 to 24 years	352	23.7	223	129
25 to 29 years	296	19.9	202	94
30 to 34 years	323	21.7	233	90
35 to 39 years	160	10.8	120	40
40 to 44 years	68	4.6	53	15
45 to 49 years	32	2.2	15	17
50 to 54 years	6	0.4	5	1
55 to 59 years	8	0.5	6	2
60 to 64 years	11	0.7	2	9
65 to 69 years	16	1.1	6	10
70 to 74 years	20	1.3	11	9
75 to 79 years	16	1.1	8	8
80 to 84 years	13	0.9	6	7
85 to 89 years	4	0.3	0	4
Total (All ages)	1,487		1,000	487

In addition, admissions to pasychiatric hospitals under the category "Drug Addiction" (up to 1980) and "Drug Dependence" are recorded by the Health Research Board in its annual reports on Activities of Irish Psychiatric Hospitals and Units.

Admissions for 1990 and 1995 have been broken down by age and gender, but the information for 1970 and 1980 is not available in this format.

Year	Drug Addiction
	Male	Female	Total
1970	77	68	145
1980	68	42	110

1970 Admissions to Psychiatric Hospitals and Units (Both Public and Private) for Drug Addiction by age:

Age	Total
	(Both Male and Female)
Under 15	1
15-19	27
20-24	29
25-34	32
35-44	21
45-54	22
55-64	9
65-69	2
70-79	2
80 and over	0
Unspecified	0
Total	145

1980 Admissions to Psychiatric Hospitals and Units (Both Public and Private) for Drug Addiction by age:

Age	Total
	(Both Male and Female)
Under 15	0
15-19	11
20-24	27
25-34	36
35-44	15
45-54	12
55-64	6
65-74	3
75 and over	0
Total	110

1990 Admissions to Psychiatric Hospitals and Units (Both Public and Private) for Drug Dependence, by age and gender:

Age	Male	Female	Total
Under 15	1	0	1
15-19	16	9	25
20-24	34	17	51
25-34	63	29	92
35-44	19	15	34
45-54	8	23	31
55-64	12	8	20
65-74	4	6	10
75 and over	2	0	2
Total	159	109	268

1995 Admissions to Psychiatric Hospitals and Units (Both Public and Private) for Drug Dependence, by age and gender:

Age	Male	Female	Total
Under 15	5	4	9
15-19	42	10	52
20-24	96	29	125
25-34	163	34	197
35-44	54	23	77
45-54	27	20	47
55-64	9	9	18
65-74	7	2	9
75 and over	1	2	3
Unspecified	1	0	1
Total	404	133	538

The rise in admissions to psychiatric hospitals and units for drug dependence from 145 in 1970 to 538 over the years 1970 to 1995 shows that there has been an increase in drug dependence since 1970. However these figures do not measure the true extent of the drug misuse problem and particularly the misuse of illegal drugs. The figures given above represent dependence on a number of drugs including prescribed medicines. This is evident from the age of some of the persons admitted. Another report produced by the Health Research Board on treated drug misuse in the Dublin area over the years 1990-95 noted that in the Dublin area alone the number of cases in the total treatment group who were treated for problem drug misuse in the Greater Dublin area steadily increased over the five years under review. Treatment for drug misusers is provided by a number of other agencies such as the therapeutic communities and information from these facilities is included in the health research "Treated Drug Misuse" reports. In 1995 for example, the total number of persons who received treatment in the greater Dublin area was 3,399. The total number in other health boards was 776. These figures give a better estimate of the misuse of illegal drugs, but again they would only be a proportion of the total number of people who are misusing drugs, many of whom may never come into contact with treatment services.

I am aware of the serious drug problem which exists and my Department, in conjunction with other Departments, is working on a multi-sectoral approach to the problem. All health boards are working to address the problem at a regional level through education and treatment initiatives. The Eastern Health Board, where the problem is most acute, is implementing a service plan which aims to provide education and support, especially for young people in the areas of highest risk, and treatment for all drug misusers who require treatment in 1997.