Globally, there are an estimated 15.6 million people who inject drugs (PWID).¹ Among PWID, the risk of acquiring HIV is more than 30 times higher than the rest of the population.² However, HIV incidence has declined among PWID in Western Europe over the last two decades. In light of this improved situation, a 2023 study investigated changes in HIV incidence in Ireland among PWID from 2000 to 2018.²

In this study, published in the journal Addiction, data on new diagnoses of HIV among PWID, as reported by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre, were examined. New HIV cases in two time periods (2000–2009 and 2010–2018) were compared by sex, age group, area of residence, and country of birth.

Drug use during pregnancy is a worldwide problem and the consequences of continued drug misuse in pregnancy can be significant.¹ Pregnancy may provide opportunities to engage vulnerable women in essential healthcare. However, women with an addiction may have poor adherence with prenatal appointments, presenting late in pregnancy or not until labour. Hence, drug liaison midwives (DLMs) were appointed to the three Dublin maternity hospitals in 1999.

A 2023 retrospective observational cohort study was conducted at an Irish tertiary maternity unit.² In this study, published in the European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, all women with opioid use disorder (OUD) or substance use in pregnancy delivered under this service between 2010 and 2019 were included. Data were collected by combining electronic and hand-held patient records, and trends and outcomes were analysed by year of delivery.

The annual report published by the Mental Health Information Systems Unit of the Health Research Board, National Psychiatric Inpatient Reporting System (NPIRS) annual report on the activities of Irish psychiatric units and hospitals, 2022,¹ shows that the rate of new admissions to inpatient care for alcohol disorders has decreased.

In 2022, some 806 cases were admitted to psychiatric facilities with an alcohol disorder, of whom 263 were treated for the first time. Figure 1 presents the rates of first admission between 2002 and 2022 for cases with a diagnosis of an alcohol disorder. Trends over time indicate an overall decline in first admissions. Just over one-third (35.3%) of cases hospitalised for an alcohol disorder in 2022 stayed just under 1 week, while 26.5% of cases were hospitalised for between 1 and 3 months, similar to previous years.