Interactive alcohol and other drug treatment services data

Recent Alcohol and Drug releases

National Opioid Pharmacotherapy Statistic Annual Data Collection 2007 Report (released 28 July 2008)

2007 National Drug Strategy Household Survey First Results (released 27 April 2008)

The effectiveness of the Illicit Drug Diversion Initiative in rural and remote Australia (released 10 April 2008)

Alcohol and other drug treatment services NMDS specifications 2008-09:data dictionary, collection guidelines and validation processes (released 25 March 2008)

Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment Services in Australia 2005-06: Report on the National Minimum Data Set (released 26 July 2007)

Statistics on drug use in Australia 2006 (released April 2006)

This page contains links to a number of data cubes containing data from the 2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06 Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment Services National Minimum Data Set (AODTS-NMDS) collections. The NMDS is a nationally agreed set of common data items collected by government funded service providers for clients registered for alcohol and other drug treatment.

What is a cube?

A data cube is a multidimensional representation of data which provides fast retrieval and drill down facilities. To learn more about the cube, and how to use the software behind the cube -- PowerPlay -- click on the help button inside the cube.

How do I export data from cubes?

You can export data from a cube to a comma separated variable file (.csv) for use in other applications such as Microsoft Excel. Once you have the required data visible in the interactive data cube, click the Export CSV button at the bottom of the window. Depending on how your web browser is configured, you will then either see the .csv file or you will be prompted to save it on your computer. If required, more information is available in Help.

2005-06 AODTS-NMDS data

2004-05 AODTS-NMDS data

2003-04 AODTS-NMDS data

2002-03 AODTS-NMDS data

2001-02 AODTS-NMDS data

* Please note that in the 2001-02 AODTS-NMDS collection South Australia did not provide data for main treatment type, therefore treatment episodes from South Australia are excluded from the marked cubes.

About the cubes:

Profile of treatment agencies:

These cubes include information on publicly funded (government and non-government) alcohol and other drug treatment service agencies that supplied data for the collection. Information on the agencies' geographic location is included in the cube. Note that the number of treatment agencies does not necessarily equate to the number of service delivery outlets actually providing treatment as some treatment services are reported under their main administrative centre.

All closed treatment episodes: profile of clients:

These cubes include the following data items: age group, sex, Indigenous status, English proficiency (in 2001-02 cube), country of birth (in 2002-03, 2003-04 and 2004-05 cubes), client type and source of referral. Data in this cube relate to the number of closed treatment episodes for clients in receipt of publicly funded alcohol and other drug treatment services in scope for the AODTS-NMDS collection.

The counting unit is 'closed treatment episodes'. A closed treatment episode refers to a period of contact, with defined dates of commencement and cessation, between a client and a treatment agency. For example, a closed treatment episode could be for a single treatment that may or may not be part of a larger treatment plan, such as education and information only, or it could be for one specific treatment, such as withdrawal management (detoxification), that is part of an overall long-term treatment plan.

Closed treatment episodes: client profile by principal drug of concern:

These cubes are similar to the 'all closed treatment episodes' cubes listed above. The counting unit is closed treatment episodes, however it excludes treatment episodes for clients seeking treatment for the drug use of others (e.g. parents seeking treatment for their child). The following data items are included: age group, sex, Indigenous status, English proficiency (2001-02 cube), country of birth (2002-03, 2003-04 and 2004-05 cubes), principal drug of concern, source of referral and reason for cessation.

Closed treatment episodes: client profile by treatment type:

These cubes are similar to the 'all closed treatment episodes' cube listed above. The counting unit is closed treatment episodes. These cubes include the following data items: age group, sex, main treatment type, treatment delivery setting and reason for cessation.

Closed treatment episodes: client profile by principal drug of concern and treatment type:

These cubes are similar to the 'client profile by principal drug of concern' cubes listed above, in that the data exclude treatment episodes for clients seeking treatment for the drug use of others (e.g. parents seeking treatment for their child). These cubes contain the following data items: age group, sex, Indigenous status, principal drug of concern, main treatment type and reason for cessation.

Privacy issues

Due to the multidimensional nature of the alcohol and drug treatment cubes, extra steps have been taken to ensure the confidentiality of client data. These are:

Individual ages cannot be viewed, the lowest level to which age can be drilled is the 10 year age group level (e.g. 10-19 yrs). All clients aged 60 and over have been grouped together.
A variable identifying State/Territory has only been included in the 'treatment agency' cube to ensure that clients cannot be identified.

Additional information

When using the AODTS-NMDS data the following must be considered:

Exclusions to the scope of the NMDS include for 2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04 and 2004-05:
- Agencies whose sole activity is to prescribe and/or dose for opioid pharmacotherapy maintenance treatment such as methadone.
- Halfway houses and sobering-up shelters, correctional institutions, health promotion services (e.g. needle and syringe exchange programs).
- Alcohol and drug treatment units in acute care or psychiatric hospitals that only provide treatment to admitted patients.
- Private treatment agencies that do not receive public funding.
The number of Indigenous clients may be under-counted as most Australian Government funded Indigenous substance-use services and Aboriginal health services that provide treatment for alcohol and other drug problems do not supply data under the AODTS-NMDS. In addition, at the national level a substantial percentage of clients did not state their Indigenous status (8% in 2001-02, 6% in 2002-03 and 6% in 2003-04 and 2004-05).
In 2001-02, Queensland Health supplied police diversion data only, all with the principal drug of cannabis and main treatment type of information and education only. In 2002-03, 2003-04 and 2004-05, Queensland Health supplied data from Queensland government AODTS agencies and from police diversion processes (all with the principal drug of cannabis and main treatment type of information and education only) but not from other non-government agencies.
In 2001-02 and 2002-03, data relating to police and court diversion programs have been included for court jurisdiction except Tasmania. In 2003-04, Tasmania included police and court diversion programs.
In 2001-02, South Australia supplied client registration data only with no data for main treatment type or other treatment related items.
The data do not provide measures of the incidence or prevalence of alcohol or other drug abuse or dependence in the community on their own. This is because not all persons who abuse alcohol or other drugs seek treatment or seek treatment from publicly funded services.

Accessing the AODTS-NMDS

Access to Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment Services National Minimum Data Set document outlines the process to be followed for data requests from the AODTS-NMDS.