Trends and characteristics of hospitalisations from the harmful use of opioids in England between 2008 and 2018: Population-based retrospective cohort study.

Opioid use is an increasing public health concern in England, though hospitalisation and mortality rates are less pronounced than in other countries. There are concerns about significant rises in hospitalisations from older, less deprived and sicker population groups. Our findings should prompt policymakers to go beyond monitoring mortality statistics when assessing the impacts of harmful use of opioids.