Table 2 Opioid use context and associated characteristics

I

Non-prescribed opioid use, without intention to cause harm

1. An opioid was used due to dependence (opioid use disorder), for euphoric effect (such as recreational use) or stress relief. The opioid can be a drug or medication not used for the prescribed purpose.

2. Opioid drugs (not prescribed medication) were used to manage pain, insomnia, withdrawal symptoms from other substances, or other health conditions.

3. Rehabilitation-related methadone/suboxone was used concomitantly with other drugs.

4,120 (50.8%)

[49.7 – 51.9%]

68.9%

1. 53.8% - Fentanyl

2. 22.6% - Heroin

3. 3.2% - Oxycodone

4. 1.7% - Codeine

5. 1.7% - Morphine

II

Medication error

1. A prescribed opioid medication was used and doctors’ instructions were unintentionally broken by self or caregiver, such as using wrong medication, expired medication, wrong dosage, interval, or administration route.

2. Opioid medication was occasionally used to treat pain without doctors’ instructions.

215 (2.7%)

[2.3 – 3.0%]

50.7%

1. 24.2% - Hydromorphone

2. 23.3% - Morphine

3. 18.1% - Oxycodone

4. 14.0% - Codeine

5. 11.2% - Methadone

III

Children’s exposure

1. Children ingested or absorbed adults’ opioid medication or drug.

2. Children were suspected of ingesting or absorbing adults’ opioid medication or drug.

295 (3.6%)

[3.3 – 4.1%]

53.6%

1. 23.1% - Oxycodone

2. 20.0% - Codeine

3. 13.9% - Hydromorphone

4. 11.9% - Buprenorphine

5. 8.1% - Morphine

IV

Mother’s opioid use

Mother used opioids (medication or drugs) during pregnancy or breast-feeding period.

10 (0.1%)

[0.1 – 0.2%]

60%

1. 50.0% - Methadone

2. 20.0% - Codeine

3. 10.0% - Oxycodone

4. 10.0% - Fentanyl

5. 10.0% - Hydromorphone

V

Medical treatment

1. Opioid medication was prescribed for managing pain.

2. Opioid medication was prescribed for rehabilitation.

53 (0.7%)

[0.5 – 0.9%]

66%

1. 22.6% - Hydromorphone

2. 20.8% - Methadone

3. 13.2% - Buprenorphine

4. 13.2% - Morphine

5. 11.3% - Oxycodone

VI

Other context, without intention to cause harm

1. Drug concealing in organs (ex. gastrointestinal tract).

2. Second hand exposure on job duty.

3. Taking opioids due to instructions from auditory hallucinations caused by mental illnesses.

32 (0.4%)

[0.3 – 0.6%]

62.5%

1. 31.3% - Heroin

2. 21.9% - Fentanyl

3. 18.8% - Morphine

4. 9.4% - Methadone

5. 9.4% - Hydromorphone

VII

Unclear context, without intention to cause harm

1. It was hard to differentiate between opioid misuse, medication error and medical treatment.

2. The context was not clear, but it was sure that there was no intention to cause harm.

1,720 (21.2%)

[20.3 – 22.1%]

67.9%

1. 38.5% - Fentanyl

2. 16.8% - Heroin

3. 3.6% - Oxycodone

4. 3.1% - Methadone

5. 2.0% - Codeine

VIII

Self-poisoning

1. Suicide attempt.

2. Self-poisoning without suicidal intent, such as grabbing attention.

930 (11.5%)

[10.8 – 12.2%]

38.7%

1. 29.3% - Codeine

2. 18.0% - Oxycodone

3. 13.0% - Hydromorphone

4. 11.9% - Morphine

5. 10.8% - Fentanyl

IX

Poisoned by others

Opioids were used by other people to deliberately cause harm to a patient.

18 (0.2%)

[0.1 – 0.4%]

11.1%

1. 66.7% - Fentanyl

2. 11.1% - Heroin

3. 5.6% - Methadone

4. all the others - unspecified opioids

X

Unclear context, undetermined intent to cause harm

1. It was hard to differentiate between unintended poisoning, self-poisoning and poisoned by others.

2. The context was not clear and the intention was not clear.

719 (8.9%)

[8.3 – 9.5%]

72.8%

1. 53.9% - Fentanyl

2. 7.4% - Heroin

3. 3.1% - Oxycodone

4. 2.8% - Hydromorphone

5. 2.5% - Methadone

Total

8,112 (100.0%)