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This report was commissioned by the Drug and Alcohol Unit of the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety. The report provides estimates on the number of problem heroin users during the 12 month period November 2000 to October 2001.

The study targeted "problem heroin use", defined as "use resulting in social, psychological, physical or legal problems associated with dependence, intoxication or regular consumption" (of heroin).

The study used three methodological techniques to gather data. These techniques included capture-recapture methodology, a mortality multiplier and an Addicts Index multiplier.¹

Findings include:

• There were approximately 828 problem heroin users in Northern Ireland during the 12 month period of the study. The 95% confidence interval suggested that the range of problem heroin users during this time was between 695 and 1,018.
• These figures imply that between 36% and 52% of problem heroin users had been in treatment during the 12 month study period.
• The Addicts Index multiplier indicated a total of 1,265 problem heroin users in Northern Ireland between November 2000 and October 2001.
• The mortality multiplier approach suggested that there were between 1,050 and 2,100 (midpoint=1400) problem heroin users in Northern Ireland for the calendar year 2000 (data were not available for the 12 month period described above).
• Additional data showed there were some local differences in problem heroin users in Northern Ireland who entered drug treatment. For example, Ballymena clients were significantly more likely to be male, younger and injecting, compared with clients from Belfast and other locations.
• Belfast treatment centres had higher numbers of heroin users who had never injected but who "chased" or smoked the drug.

To obtain copies of the report Prevalence of Problem Heroin Use in Northern Ireland contact DAIRU. 

To obtain a PDF copy of the research go to: www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/heroin_use_ni.pdf

Reference

1. McElrath K. Prevalence of problem heroin use in Northern Ireland. Belfast: DAIRU, 2002.