What data is included in this report?
The AODTS NMDS is collected annually, with collection periods beginning on July 1 and ending on June 30 of the following year. This report includes data on closed treatment episodes delivered between 2011–12 to 2020–21; however, data coverage differs by variable.
AODTS NMDS data can be counted using two measures: clients or closed treatment episodes provided to clients.
A typical AOD client will receive multiple treatment episodes; based on the number and frequency of all episodes received during the study period, clients are assigned to one of three cohorts reflecting their treatment intensity.
Data on both treatment intensity cohorts and treatment episodes are included in this report to capture how clients interact with AOD services over multiple episodes, as well as yearly changes in individual episode characteristics. Due to changes in data quality over time, treatment cohort-level and episode-level data varies in coverage.
Clients can receive treatment for their own or someone else’s drug use. This report only presents information for clients receiving treatment for their own drug use.
Table 1 summarises the differences in treatment cohort-level and treatment episode-level data.
| Treatment cohort | Treatment episode | |
|---|---|---|
| Measure |
Includes all closed treatment episodes received by a client: a person who receives an AOD treatment episode for their own drug use. Most clients undergo multiple treatment episodes over the course of their treatment; each episode is matched to a client and counted towards the treatment cohort the client is assigned to. |
The period of contact between a client and treatment provider. Each closed treatment episode has one principal drug of concern and one main treatment type. |
| Time coverage | Clients who received treatment between 2013–14 to 2020–21 | Closed treatment episodes provided between 2011–12 to 2020–21 |
For further information, refer to the Alcohol and drug treatment services in Australia annual report.