Inequalities in drug-related deaths

There are inequalities in drug-related deaths by age, sex, region and deprivation in the UK

This chart shows the death rates (age-standardised) related to drug poisoning and misuse, by different characteristics in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. 

• In England and Wales, drug-related death rates are:
  • highest for 40 to 49-year-olds at 14.7 deaths per 100,000. This is at least 1.5 times higher than for any other age group
  • more than twice as high for men than women (12.8 deaths per 100,000 compared with 6 per 100,000)
  • higher in the north of England. In the North East the rate is 17.4 deaths per 100,000, three times as high as the rate in London (5.8 deaths per 100,000)
  • more than five times higher in the most deprived fifth of local areas (21.7 deaths per 100,000) than in the least deprived fifth of local areas (4.1 per 100,000).
• In Scotland, drug-related death rates:
  • increase by age up to 40 to 44-year-olds. This age group has the highest rate with 68.3 deaths per 100,000
  • are more than twice as high for men than women (31.7 deaths per 100,000 compared with 13.6 per 100,000)
  • increase with deprivation. Drug-related death rates are 15 times higher in the most deprived fifth of local areas (53.7 deaths per 100,000) compared with the least deprived fifth of local areas (3.5 per 100,000).
• In Northern Ireland, drug-related death rates are:
  • highest for 25 to 34-year-olds (19.2 deaths per 100,000) and decrease by age after this
  • more than twice as high for men than women (11.8 deaths per 100,000 compared to 5.0 deaths per 100,000).