ArticleBMC public health2025
Trends in cocaine use and cocaine-related harms in Ireland: a retrospective, multi-source database study.
Article in BMC public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Pooled it
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundIncreased cocaine supply has coincided with increased global cocaine use. In 2019 Ireland had one of the highest last-year rates of cocaine use in Europe. However, there is a lack of data on the health-related impacts of cocaine use in European countries over time.
methodsThis retrospective, multi-source database study utilised data from national databases to evaluate the following time trends: (1) prevalence of cocaine use; (2) number of cocaine-related hospital discharges; (3) number of cocaine-related psychiatric hospital admissions; (4) treatment demand for problem cocaine use; and (5) cocaine-related deaths. Joinpoint regression was used to examine change points over time and average annual percentage changes (AAPCs).
resultsLast-year cocaine use among 15-64-year-olds increased from 1·1% in 2002/03 to 2·4% in 2022/23. The number of cocaine-related acute hospital discharges per 100,000 population increased from 1·4 in 2000 to 24·3 in 2023 (AAPC: 13·0%; 95% CI: 11·95, 14·84), and psychiatric hospitalisations increased from 0·2 in 2000 to 2·4 in 2022 (AAPC: 11·1%; 95% CI: 9·41, 15·48). Treatment entrants reporting cocaine as a main problem drug increased from 1·5 per 100,000 population in 2000 to 93·2 in 2023 (AAPC: 17·6%; 95% CI: 15·89, 20·74), while cocaine-related deaths increased from 0·3 in 2000 to 5·6 in 2020 (AAPC: 16·9%; 95% CI: 14·71, 21·70). In general, rates of harm increased from 2000 to 2007, decreased until 2011-2013, and since 2013 have increased significantly and consistently.
conclusionsMultiple databases show significant increases in cocaine-related harm since 2000. Responding to cocaine-related health problems and prevention efforts focused on cocaine constitute a public health priority.
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