Australia's prescription drug crisis – Research Task

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEFh9D6Xi24

Prescription drug abuse is a rising problem in Australia and pharmaceutical drugs have been
the most frequent contributors to overdose deaths in Victoria in recent years. Data from the
Coroners Court of Victoria list the main drugs that contributed to drug-related deaths in
2009–15. Analysis of the data reveals that pharmaceutical drugs contributed to 80% of
overdose deaths; benzodiazepines and opioids were the main drug groups involved.

Answer the questions below:

1. What is the number of deaths by overdose of opioids in each year?

a. 2006 -- 381 deaths
b. 2017 -- 1374 deaths

2. Discuss what you have found in your research to account for the increase between 2006
and 2017.
Opioids are prescribed to patients more often because they are cheaper than sending them to
further care. Due to this, people have overdosed on prescribed opioids each year.
3. Provide the number of opioid prescriptions in 1992 and then in 2012.
a. 2 397 006
b. 7.5 million

4. What are Benzodiazepines prescribed for?

Benzodiazepines are mainly prescribed for problems relating to anxiety and insomnina.

5. What is the most common prescribed benzodiazepine?

Temazepam, nitrazepam, diazepam, lorazepam

6. Studies in Australia and overseas have shown that those who misuse codeine often differ
in several significant ways from users of illicit drugs. List three ways.
a. analgesic
b. anxiolyric
c. Become physically and psychologically dependant on it.

7. What are the 4As of watching out for prescription drug dependence.
a. analgesia
b. activities of daily living
c. Adverse effects
d. Aberrant behaviours

8. Between 2010 and 2020 which gender had a higher rate of death from prescription drugs?
males
9. Explain the Opioid Substitution Therapy planned in Australia?
It is a type of harm reduction initiative that offers help to people who are dependent on
opioids

10. Explain Australia’s policy on the use of Naloxone.

it is a policy developed by the government that allows naloxone to be given to people for free
if they have either experienced or witnessed an opioid overdose.

11. Review the chart below and answer the questions after.

Opioid-induced deaths, age-specific death rates by sex, 2018 

a. Which age group has the most opioid deaths?

35-44 years old
b. Which gender has the least opioid deaths?
females

12. Take the information below and create a bar graph.

Table 1. Annual overdose deaths frequency by contributing drug types, Victoria 2009–158

Drug types 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

All overdose deaths 379 342 362 367 380 387 453
Pharmaceutical 295 266 275 306 313 316 358

Illegal 147 149 153 133 166 164 227

Alcohol 94 85 88 80 94 94 106

Reproduced from Coroners Court of Victoria. Findings Case 408012, Attachment C. Coroners Prevention Unit,
Coroners Prevention Unit Data Summary, Re: Victorian Overdose Death 2009–2015. Last revised 30th August
2016. Available at www.coronerscourt.vic.gov.au/home/coroners+written+findings [Accessed 6 November
2016].

Annual overdose deaths frequency by contributing drug

types, Victoria 2009-2015
500
450
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

All overdose deaths Pharmaceutical Illegal Alcohol