Treatment for alcohol abuse at highest level in more than a decade
Massive Regions, Decreases File Kerry Dublin Significant Area Between Increases, Recording Recording Picture The Cork With Wide But And Greater Variations
Treatment cases for alcohol abuse reached their highest level for over a decade last year, new figures show.
Accompanying this has been a dramatic increase in polydrug use — of alcohol and another drug — with cases involving cocaine more than doubling in the last seven years.
The rise in national alcohol treatment cases hides notable variations between regions, with the greater Dublin area recording massive increases, but Cork and Kerry recording significant decreases.
The figures, published by the Health Research Board, show that for females receiving treatment, the median number of standard drinks consumed on a typical drinking day was 15. A standard drink is around a small (100ml) glass of wine, a pub measure (35.5ml) of spirits, or half pint of beer; the “low-risk” drinking guidelines for females is up to 11 standard drinks over a full week.
For males receiving treatment, the median number of standard drinks consumed on a typical drinking day was 20. The “low risk” guidelines for males is up to 17 standard drinks over a full week.
In terms of the type of alcohol consumed, spirits accounted for 58%, beer 48%, and wine 28%.
The HRB 2023 Alcohol Treatment Demand report said there were 8,163 alcohol treatment cases in 2023, compared to 7,421 in 2022 (up 10%), and 7,350 in 2017.
Of these, 3,625 were new cases in 2023, compared to 3,278 in 2022, and 3,500 in 2017.
Almost one quarter of those receiving alcohol treatment said they were polydrug users, compared to almost one fifth in 2017.
In terms of absolute numbers, 2,032 cases involved polydrug use in 2023, compared to 1,452 in 2017.
The figures show a dramatic increase in the numbers saying they had a problem with cocaine, more than doubling, from 607 in 2017 to 1,310 in 2023.
While the proportion of polydrug cases reporting cannabis as a secondary problem drug decreased since 2017, the absolute number of cases has grown, from 878 in 2017 to 958 in 2023.
There was a similar trend with benzodiazepines, a group of sedative drugs sold illegally and legally, with 332 cases in 2017 and 419 in 2023.
More than a half of cases (4,639) involved parents, with two thirds (3,014) of these with children under the age of 17.
Of this latter group, over half (1,546) were living with their children, but this rose to 68% for women.
Over the seven years, there was a significant increase in cases involving people who were employed, from 2,056 in 2017 (28% of cases) to 2,954 in 2023 (36%).
The HRB report highlights significant variations across the nine community healthcare organisation areas in the country, including:
- CHO 3 (Clare, Limerick and North Tipperary) — numbers rose from 487 in 2017 to 570 in 2023 (up 17%);
- CHO 4 (Kerry, Cork) — numbers fell dramatically, from 1,240 to 920 (down 26%) over the same period;
- CHO 6 (Wicklow, Dun Laoghaire and Dublin South East) — numbers increased from 301 to 462 (up 53%);
- CHO 9 (Dublin North City and County) — numbers increased dramatically, from 880 to 1,430 (up 62%).
Dr Suzi Lyons, senior researcher at the HRB, said: “We are seeing a rise in the proportion of cases whose alcohol use was classified as hazardous or harmful, along with a decrease in the proportion classified as dependent.”