House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 19 Jul 2005 (pt 43)

19 Jul 2005 : Column 1683W—continued

Drug-related Deaths (Teesside)

Dr. Kumar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in how many deaths in Teesside the use of (a) heroin, (b) ecstasy, (c) amphetamines, (d) other illicit substances, (e) alcohol and (f) tobacco was recorded as a cause in each year since 1997. [12552]

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.

19 Jul 2005 : Column 1684W

Letter from Len Cook to Dr. Ashok Kumar, dated 19 July 2005:

As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking in how many deaths in Teesside the use of (a) heroin, (b) ecstasy, (c) amphetamines, (d) other illicit substances, (e) alcohol and (f) tobacco was recorded as a cause in each year since 1997. (12552)

The most recently available information for mortality is deaths registered in 2004 and deaths occurring in 2003. Relevant figures are only readily available for deaths where the underlying cause was either related to drug poisoning or directly related to alcohol (alcohol abuse, dependence and poisoning, and diseases directly related to alcohol use). It is not possible to identify from death certificates which substance was the primary cause when more than one was involved.

Teesside has not been a recognised administrative area since 1974 when major administrative re-structuring took place. Teesside county borough council now lies within three unitary authorities: Middlesbrough; Redcar and Cleveland; and, Stockton-on-Tees. Figures for these areas are provided in the table below.

It is not known how many people die through tobacco use each year as this information is not recorded on the death certificate. Estimates can be made however and the most recent for England were published by the Health Development Agency in 2004. ¹ This report estimated that in England an average of 86,500 deaths were caused by smoking each year over the period 1998–2002. Estimates were not published at unitary authority level, however for Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) the percentages of all deaths from causes associated with smoking at ages 35 and over were published. The unitary authorities of Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland, and Stockton-on-Tees lie within the PCTs of Middlesbrough, Langbaurgh and North Tees. The percentages of deaths of those aged 35 and over in these areas from causes associated with smoking were 38 per cent., 32 per cent. and 35 per cent. respectively.

Figures for alcohol-related deaths to usual residents of the three unitary authorities registered in the years 1997 to 2004 are given in the table below. ONS compiles a special database to analyse mortality from drug-related poisoning, adding more detail than is available on routine annual extracts. This database is compiled using the annual occurrences extract of mortality data. Figures showing deaths related to drug poisoning involving heroin/methadone, ecstasy and amphetamines, occurring in the years 1997 to 2003, to usual residents of the three areas are given in the table below. Information on deaths involving illicit substances is not available, as how the deceased obtained a particular drug is not recorded at death registration.

However the attached table does show the number of deaths where a controlled substance, other than heroin/morphine or amphetamines (including ecstasy), was mentioned.

It should be noted that the figures on drug-related poisoning and alcohol-related deaths are not directly comparable for the following reasons:

The figures for alcohol-related deaths include the long-term effects of alcohol use, such as cirrhosis of the liver, whereas the figures for drugs all relate to poisoning from drug use.

Deaths from poisoning which involved both drugs and alcohol are coded as being due to drug poisoning, in accordance with international rules for coding cause of death.

The figures on alcohol include only those where the underlying cause was alcohol-related. The figures on specific drugs include any mention of the substance where the death was related to drug poisoning.

¹ Twigg L, Moon G and Walker S. The smoking epidemic in England. Health Development Agency, 2004.

19 Jul 2005 : Column 1685W

Number of alcohol-related deaths⁽⁶⁵⁾ and deaths from drug-related poisoning⁽⁶⁶⁾ involving selected drugs⁽⁶⁷⁾ to usual residents of the Unitary Authorities of Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland, and Stockton-on-Tees, 1997 to 2004⁽⁶⁸⁾

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

Middlesbrough

(a) heroin/morphine ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— 6 ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— —

(b) ecstasy ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— —

(c) amphetamines ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— —

(d) other misuse substances ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— —

(e) alcohol-related deaths 13 22 16 12 18 23 13 25

Redcar and Cleveland

(a) heroin/morphine ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— —

(b) ecstasy ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— —

(c) amphetamines ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— —

(d) other misuse substances ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— —

(e) alcohol-related deaths 14 14 14 17 20 16 21 18

Stockton-on-Tees

(a) heroin/morphine ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— —

(b) ecstasy ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— —

(c) amphetamines ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— —

(d) other misuse substances ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— ⁽⁶⁹⁾— 5 —

(e) alcohol-related deaths 17 27 13 20 18 23 31 22

⁽⁶⁵⁾ For the years 1997–2000 the cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes 291, 303, 305.0, 425.5, 571, E860. For the years from 2001 onwards the cause of deaths was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes F10, 142.6, K70, K73, K74, X45.
Deaths were selected using the original underlying cause. The selection of codes to define alcohol-related deaths is described in:
Baker A and Rooney C (2003). Recent trends in alcohol-related mortality, and the impact of ICD-10 on the monitoring of these deaths in England and Wales. Health Statistics Quarterly 17, pp 5–14.
⁽⁶⁶⁾ Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes 292, 304, 305.2–305.9, E850-E858, E950.0-E950.5, E962.0 and E980.0-E980.5 for 1997 to 2000, and the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes F11-F16, F18-F19, X40-X44, X60-X64, X85 and Y10-Y14 from 2001 onwards.
⁽⁶⁷⁾ Drugs mentioned on the death certificate of a death where the underlying cause was drug poisoning.
⁽⁶⁸⁾ Figures for alcohol-related deaths are numbers registered in each calendar year. Figures for drug-related poisoning deaths are numbers occurring in each calendar year.
⁽⁶⁹⁾ Fewer than 5 deaths.

	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004
Middlesbrough
(a) heroin/morphine	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	6	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	—
(b) ecstasy	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	—
(c) amphetamines	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	—
(d) other misuse substances	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	—
(e) alcohol-related deaths	13	22	16	12	18	23	13	25

Redcar and Cleveland
(a) heroin/morphine	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	—
(b) ecstasy	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	—
(c) amphetamines	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	—
(d) other misuse substances	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	—
(e) alcohol-related deaths	14	14	14	17	20	16	21	18

Stockton-on-Tees
(a) heroin/morphine	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	—
(b) ecstasy	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	—
(c) amphetamines	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	—
(d) other misuse substances	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	⁽⁶⁹⁾—	5	—
(e) alcohol-related deaths	17	27	13	20	18	23	31	22

Next Section

Index

Home Page