Source : Scottish Drug Misuse Database

Understanding the data

It is emphasised that the information held on the Database relates to new patients/clients. The definition of 'new' is (a) the person is attending the particular service for the first time ever, or (b) the person has attended before but not within the previous six months. Thus, the statistics do not reflect the total number of drug misusers seen by agencies during any period.

Further, the database does not collect information on the non-client work in which most specialist projects are involved, nor measures the number of contacts or amount of time spent with clients. The data is usually recorded at or around the time of the initial face to face contact and no measure of outcome is included. It would therefore be inappropriate to use the data for any overall performance evaluation of individual drug services.

By means of matching on certain criteria (initials, date of birth and sex) an adjustment is made for the double counting of individuals who may have attended more than one service during the period. All the tables are based on these adjusted figures. The veracity of any "matches" identified cannot be guaranteed; it is likely that small number of individuals may have been wrongly matched and, conversely, some true matches may have been missed. Full names and addresses are not returned on the forms returned to the Scottish Drug Misuse Database - ISD Scotland.

In Scotland, data collection formally began in August 1990. Similar systems were set up in England and Wales at the same time.

Definitions

Problem Drug User
Any person who experiences social, psychological, physical or legal problems related to intoxication and/or regular excessive consumption and/or dependence as a consequence of his/her own use of drugs or chemical substances. - ACMD 1982.

The following definitions as defined by the Department of Health , are also used in England and Wales.

New Patient/Client
Any person who is attending the service for (a) the first time ever or (b) it has been at least six months since the last attendance at the service.

Drug
A drug is defined to be any drug of misuse, including solvents and tranquillisers, excluding tobacco. Alcohol is reported only if it is based on a secondary drug. Drugs, which are prescribed by a doctor, to be used as an alternative to the drug(s) of addiction are also specifically included.

Main Drug
The drug which causes the patient/client the most problems at the time of contact. This may not be the drug used most frequently or in the largest quantities.

For further information contact: Elaine Parry

Drug Misuse In Scotland 2001
This is an ISD Scotland National Statistics release

For further information please contact: Elaine Parry