Glossary

abstainer: Has not consumed a full serve of alcohol in the previous 12 months.

alcohol: A central nervous system depressant made from fermented starches. Alcohol inhibits brain functions, dampens the motor and sensory centres and makes judgement, coordination and balance more difficult.

closed treatment episode: A period of contact between a client and a treatment provider or team of providers. An episode is closed when treatment is completed, there has been no further contact between the client and the treatment provider for 3 months or when treatment is ceased (see reason for cessation).

ex-drinker: A person who has consumed a full serve of alcohol in his or her lifetime, but not in the previous 12 months.

lifetime risk: Defined as the accumulated risk from drinking either on many drinking occasions, or on a regular (for example, daily) bases over a lifetime. The lifetime risk of harm from alcohol-related disease injury increases with the amount consumed. For healthy men and women, drinking no more than 2 standard drinks on any day reduces the lifetime risk of harm from alcohol-related disease or injury (NHMRC 2009 Australian guidelines to reduce health risks from drinking alcohol).

main treatment type: The principal activity that is determined at assessment by the treatment provider to treat the client's alcohol or other drug problem for the principal drug of concern.

principal drug of concern: The main substance that the client stated led them to seek treatment from an alcohol and drug treatment agency.

recent drinker: consumed alcohol in the previous 12 months

single occasion risk: A single occasion is defined as a consequence of drinks taken without the blood alcohol concentration reaching zero in between. The risk of an alcohol-related injury arising from a single occasion of drinking increases with the amount consumed. For healthy men and women, drinking no more than four standard drinks on a single occasion reduces the risk of alcohol-related injury arising from that occasion (NHMRC 2009 Australian guidelines to reduce health risks from drinking alcohol).

standard drink: Contains 10 g of alcohol (equivalent to 12.5 mL of alcohol). Also referred to as a full serve.

treatment episode: The period of contact between a client and a treatment provider or a team of providers. Each treatment episode has 1 principal drug of concern and 1 main treatment type. If the principal drug or main treatment changes, then a new episode is recorded.