OBJECTIVES : Opioid use has become a significant public health issue. The aim of our study was to determine the epidemiological disease burden of mental and behavioural disorders due to use of opioids.

METHODS : Data were derived from the financial database of the Hungarian National Health Insurance Fund Administration (NHIFA), for the year 2018. Data analysed included annual patient numbers, case numbers and prevalence of care utilisation per 100,000 population according to age groups and sex. The following health insurance treatment categories were included into our study: general practice care, home care, in- and outpatient care, medical imaging, laboratory diagnostics, drugs and medical aids. Patients with mental and behavioural disorders due to use of opioids were identified with the following code of the International Classification of Diseases 10^th revision: F13.

RESULTS : The highest national patient numbers were found in outpatient care: 2,219 men, 3,780 women, in total 5,999 patients, followed by carers (595 men, 966 women, in total 1,561 patients), and use of general practice care (410 men, 718 women, in total 1,128 patients). Based on patient numbers relating to outpatient care, prevalence in 100,000 among men was 47,5 patients, among women 74,0, in total 61,3 patients. Regarding sex, in case of outpatient care 37.0 % were men, 63.0 % were women, while among carers 38.1 % were men and 61.9 % were women.

CONCLUSIONS : Prevalence of the disease was 0.6-times higher among women than among men. Prevention plays a considerable role in reducing the use of sedatives and tranquillizers. Effective prevention measures target the individual, and include strategies at the level of healthcare and that of the society as well.