Changes in first-time registration for opioid agonist treatment in Ireland between 1999 and 2019

Abstract

To improve the understanding of problematic opioid use, monitoring of patterns of use is essential. We investigated changes in first-time registrations for opioid agonist treatment (OAT) in Ireland from 1999 to 2019. Data on individuals aged 15–64 years registering for OAT in Ireland for the first time from 1999 to 2019 were retrieved from the Central Treatment List, the database of all individuals receiving OAT in Ireland. Secular changes in numbers and rates of first-time registrations by age and sex were analyzed. The overall incidence of first-time treatments for opioid use decreased from 40.7 per 100,000 in 1999 to 23.0 per 100,000 in 2019 (p  The trends observed indicate a sustained decline in opioid use disorder in Ireland in younger individuals. These favorable findings support the view that recent drug policy in Ireland has contributed in part to the decline in heroin use among this group.</p