Researchers have investigated who is using oxycodone in NSW and why. 

A recent study conducted by researchers from the Medicines Intelligence Research Program and the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC) at UNSW Sydney has shed light on the demographic patterns of oxycodone use in New South Wales. 

Oxycodone, a strong opioid medication often prescribed for cancer and various forms of acute and chronic pain, has been under scrutiny globally due to its extensive overuse.

The study analysed linked data involving over 800,000 individuals prescribed oxycodone between 2014 and 2018.

It found that the likelihood of first-time use of oxycodone increases with age and is more prevalent among residents living outside of major cities. 

Key findings from the study include:

  • Approximately 30 per cent of individuals starting a new course of opioids were prescribed oxycodone, with an annual first-time use rate of 3 per cent among the NSW population

  • The most common reasons for oxycodone prescriptions were hospital discharges, recent therapeutic procedures, or visits to emergency departments

  • Two-thirds of oxycodone prescriptions were for a single pack, with a significant cessation in use thereafter. However, 4.6 per cent of individuals continued using oxycodone a year after initiation

The study also noted a significant variance in oxycodone use among different demographics, with women aged 18 to 44 years showing higher rates of new usage, likely due to opioid initiation post-caesarean section. 

Additionally, evidence of an elevated rate of new use in rural and regional areas points to a complex interplay of factors beyond mere demographic characteristics.

“Our findings are consistent with other Australian findings of increased opioid use outside major cities but differ in finding no socioeconomic gradient,” says study lead author Dr Malcolm Gillies, a biostatistician from the Medicines Intelligence Research Program at UNSW.

He added that further explanation will require data on service accessibility as well as detailed, population-level data on acute and chronic pain conditions.

The study was published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.