This is the updated bulletin from the National Drug Treatment Reporting System (NDTRS) on cases of treated problem alcohol use in Ireland from 2010 to 2016. In this seven-year period 53,763 cases were treated for alcohol as a main problem. The number of cases has plateaued in the last four years.

Key findings in 2016

Overview

• Between 2010 and 2016 53,763 cases were treated for problem alcohol use, with 7,643 cases during 2016.
• The number of cases reported decreased from a peak of 8876 in 2011 to 7819 in 2013, and have plateaued since then.
• The proportion of cases of who were previously treated has risen slightly from 46% to 50%.
• The annual rates of all cases treated per 100,000 of the population among the 15-64 year age group decreased in 2016.
• One in five cases treated mixed alcohol with other drugs, cannabis is the most common additional drug.
• Two thirds of cases are male.
• Nearly four out of 10 cases were treated in residential facilities, similar to previous years.

Level of problem alcohol use

• Median age to start drinking was 16 years.
• The number of new cases who presented as hazardous drinkers** has decreased over time from 18% to 10%.
• In 2016, almost two thirds (65%) of all cases were classified as alcohol dependent.
• Three out of five (60%) new cases (those who have never been treated for problem alcohol use before) were classified as alcohol dependent.
• Almost three-quarters (73%) of cases classified as alcohol dependent were unemployed.
• Three in ten cases classified as alcohol dependent were aged 50 years or older.

Polydrug use in 2016

• Almost one in five (17%) of those treated for problem alcohol use reported using other drugs in 2016, similar to previous years.
• Cannabis (58%) was the most common additional drug used.
• Cocaine (35%) was the second most common additional drug reported
• Benzodiazepines (29%) were the third most common additional drug reported among cases treated for problem alcohol use.
• The proportion of cases reporting benzodiazepines as an additional problem increased from 18% in 2010 to 29% in 2016.
• The proportion of cases who reported a novel psychoactive substance (NPS) as an additional problem peaked at 7% in 2010. The proportion dropped to a low of 1% in 2014, but has risen slightly since then to 2% in 2016.