Work

Estimating the societal cost of heroin dependence in an Australian population engaged in treatment or harm reduction services

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: Heroin dependence is a public health concern in Australia. High mortality rates, increased risk of physical/mental health comorbidities and increased risk of social issues contribute to a high personal and societal cost. The aim of this paper is to understand the societal cost of heroin dependence in an Australian population. A longitudinal cohort study of 600 people with heroin dependence were interviewed at five timepoints. Resource use was determined from interviews and was multiplied by unit costs to estimate the annual healthcare, productivity, crime and other costs (homelessness, heroin drug and prison costs). The monetary value of premature mortality was calculated using the value of a statistical life year method. The annual mean societal cost of heroin dependence in Australia was A$120,599/person. This included healthcare costs (A$10,055), lost productivity costs (A$63,158), crime costs (A$7204) and other costs (A$40,182). Healthcare costs, lost productivity costs, crime costs and other costs trended downwards over the five waves. Lost productivity was the highest cost contributor (52 %), followed by heroin drug (25 %). The estimated number of life years lost due to heroin over the 11-year study period was 2703 years, which approximates to a monetary value of premature death of $213 million. The significant societal cost emphasises the importance of providing resources to heroin dependence. The cost of lost productivity, crime and heroin contributed to over 80 % of the total costs, which highlights the illicit nature and reduced capacity to work contributes to the high costs to society. • Mean heroin dependence annual per person cost=A$120,599 (health=A$10055, productivity=A$63158, crime=A$7204, other=A$40182) • Mean costs were identified at five different time points and all costs trended downwards over the five waves (11-year period) • Lost productivity was the largest cost contributor at 52 %, followed by heroin drug at 25 % and crime costs (6 %). • Estimated early life years lost over the 11-year period was 2703 (equals a monetary value of premature death of $213 million) • When extrapolated to Australian population, the total annual cost of heroin dependence ranged from 1.9 billion to 6.4 billion

Source: Drug and Alcohol Dependence

DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2024.112447