Glossary < A – I >

Glossary < l – W >

 

Latency period (Látencia periódus)

Latency period stands for time from first drug use to first turn to treatment.

Source: EMCDDA PDU Guidelines Incidence

 

Low-threshold services (Alacsony küszöbű intézmények)

The term ‘low-threshold’ describes an implementation setting that facilitates drug users’ access to service delivery through social and health agencies. To lower the threshold of access, such agencies have chosen specific locations and opening hours. They provide social and health services including counselling, needle and syringe programmes, shelter and medical care.

The use of the agencies’ services requires little bureaucracy, often no payment, and is not linked to an obligation of the client to be or to become drug-free. They target current users, ‘hard-to-reach’ groups, high-risk groups among drug users and experimental users (incl. services delivered in party settings). Typically this setting applies to street agencies, drop-in day-centres, and emergency accommodation.

SOURCE: Final Draft Meeting Report: Data-collection at low-threshold services for drug users: Tools, quality and coverage. EMCDDA Lisbon, 9-10 December 2004

 

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Medically assisted treatment (Gyógyszeres kezelés)

The EMCDDA breaks down drug-related treatment into three pillars, namely withdrawal treatment, medically assisted treatment, and drug-free treatment. The second pillar of medically assisted treatment is broken down further into two ‘sub-pillars’, namely substitution treatment and antagonist treatment. Any of the above-mentioned treatment intervention can then take place in one of three settings: outpatient, inpatient, or at a General Practitioner.

This type fo treatment includes treatment with agonists (substitution treatment, e.g. methadone and buprenorphine) and treatment with other pharmacological substances, antagonists (e.g. naltrexone) which is targeted at the drug use itself (and not anti-depressives and benzodiazpepines). Medically assisted treatment includes substitution treatment and detoxification.

Source: EMCDDA Structured questionnaire 27 (2005) and structured questionnaire 31 (2006)

 

Multiplier Method (Multiplikátor Módszer)

In the context of problem drug use the total population of drug users is unknown (partly hidden population). Given a sample of size of the population in question (benchmark) and the probability for someone of this unknown population to be member of the sample, the total population can be estimated.

Source: EMCDDA Recommended Draft Technical Tools and Guidelines
Key Epidemiological Indicator: Prevalence of problem drug use

 

Multivariate Indicator Method (Többváltozós módszer)

The Multivariate Indicator Method estimates drug use by combining several indicators directly corresponding to problematic drug use. It is assumed that a single latent variable, namely the true prevalence, underlies the drug-related indicators. This single latent variable is extracted using principal component analysis and used to estimate the prevalence of problematic drug use in a linear regression model.

Source: Methodological guidelines to estimate the prevalence of problem drug use on the national level

 

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Narcotic drug (Narkotikum)

According to the WHO Lexicon of Alcohol and Drug Terms, narcotic drug is defined as: a chemical agent that can induce stupor, coma, or insensibility to pain. The term usually refers to opiates or opioids, which are called narcotic analgesics. In common parlance and legal usage it is often used imprecisely to mean illicit drugs, irrespective of their pharmacology. For example, narcotics control legislation in Canada, the United States and several other countries includes cocaine and cannabis as well as opioids.

Source: Demand Reduction – A glossary of Terms, ODCCP Studies on Drugs and Crime

 

Needle exchange (Tűcsere)

Provision to reduce the transmission of infectious diseases by the repeated use and sharing of needles in order to reduce the transmission of blood-borne viruses. It was first developed in response to the advent of HIV/AIDS and quickly spread to many countries in which injecting drug use was experienced as a problem. The concept involves the provision of clean needles in exchange for used needles which are then safely disposed of. In practice, an ‘exchange’ is not always required and clean injecting equipment is provided on demand, sometimes for a small payment.

Source: Demand Reduction – A glossary of Terms, ODCCP Studies on Drugs and Crime

 

Needle-sharing (Megosztott tűhasználat)

The use by two or more people of the same needle and syringe for the injection of drugs. A major route for the transmission of blood-borne viruses such as HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C among injecting drug users. Also used imprecisely as a term to refer to the shared use of any injecting equipment (e.g. spoons, water containers, filters).

Source: Demand Reduction – A glossary of Terms, ODCCP Studies on Drugs and Crime

 

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Outpatient treatment (Járóbeteg kezelés)

Outpatient treatment is treatment where the patient does not spend the night at the treatment centre.

Source: EMCDDA Structured questionnaire 27 (2005) and structured questionnaire 31 (2006)

 

Paraphernalia (Kellékek)

Paraphernalia designates the equipment used in the manufacture or administration of particular drugs. In some countries legislative provisions make it a specific offence to trade in or possess such equipment (e.g. water pipes).

Source: Demand Reduction – A glossary of Terms, ODCCP Studies on Drugs and Crime

 

Poly drug use / multiple drug use (Politoxikománia)

The use of more than one drug or type of drug by an individual, often at the same time or sequentially, and usually with the intention of enhancing, potentiating, or counteracting the effects of another drug. The term is often used to distinguish persons with a more varied pattern of drug use from those who use one kind of drug exclusively. It usually is associated with the use of several illegal drugs. However, in the research literature it may simply refer to combined use of common legal drugs such as alcohol and tobacco. The category is also used when the exact identity of some or even all of the substances being used is Iuncertain or unknown, since many multiple drug users often do not know themselves what they are taking.
When severely dependent heroin users are unable to maintain their supply of heroin, they may resort to the use of other central nervous system depressant drugs such as alcohol to minimize the experience of opiate withdrawal. The French term “polytoxicomanie” conveys a meaning similar to that of multiple drug use, except that dependence on one or more of the drugs taken is assumed.

Source: Demand Reduction – A glossary of Terms, ODCCP Studies on Drugs and Crime; WHO Lexicon of Alcohol and Drug Terms

 

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Precursor (Prekurzor)

A chemical substance that is used as a starting material or as an intermediate in the synthesis of a target substance. In EU legislation, it is restricted to those starting materials that can be used to manufacture certain substances listed in the United Nations 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances or the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs.

Source: Early-warning system on new psychoactive substances – Operating Guidelines

 

Prevalence (Prevalencia)

Prevalence is the number of cases with a given condition or characteristic in the population of a particular geographic area at a certain time (e.g., the number of people who have taken cannabis in the last year).

Source: EMCDDA Guidelines for the evaluation of drug prevention intervention

 

Prevention (Prevenció)

Prevention is defined broadly as an intervention designed to change the social and environmental determinants of drug and alcohol abuse, including discouraging the initiation of drug use and preventing the progression to more frequent or regular use among at-risk populations. Prevention activities may be broad-based efforts directed at the mainstream population(s), such as mass media general public information and education campaigns, community-focused initiatives and school-based programmes directed at youth or students at large. Prevention interventions may also target vulnerable and at-risk populations, including street children, out-of-school youth, children of drug abusers, offenders within the community or in prison, and so on.
Essentially, prevention addresses the following main components:
Creating awareness and informing/educating about drugs and the adverse health and social effects of drug use and abuse, and promoting anti-drug norms and pro-social behaviour against drug use;
Enabling individuals and groups to acquire personal and social life skills to develop anti-drug attitudes and avoid engaging in drug-using behaviour;
Promoting supportive environments and alternative healthier, more productive and fulfilling behaviours and lifestyles, free of drug use.

Source: Demand Reduction – A glossary of Terms, ODCCP Studies on Drugs and Crime

 

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Problem drug use (Problémás kábítószer-fogyasztás)

The EMCDDA indicator of problem drug use (PDU) monitors ‘injecting drug use or long-duration/regular use of heroin, cocaine and/or amphetamines’. Included in the definition, by convention, is the use of other opioids such as methadone.
This definition of PDU is a purely behavioural one based on drug consumption patterns and does not explicitly measure problems in any sense. Nonetheless, it is linked to the various concepts of addiction by the understanding that someone behaving in this way is very likely to fall within the more general concept of a ‘problem user’. It is important to note in this respect that the PDU indicator estimates only an important subgroup of those who can be thought of as having a drug problem of some form.

Source: EMCDDA Annual Report 2006: the state of the drug problem in Europe

 

Psychotropic drug/substance (Pszichotrop anyag)

In the context of international drug control, ‘psychotropic substance’ refers to a substance controlled by the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances. According to the WHO Lexicon of Alcohol and Drug Terms, psychotropic is in its most general sense a term with the same meaning as ‘psychoactive’, i.e. affecting the mind or mental processes. It is a material, which may or may not be chemically defined, that has an effect on the central nervous system. Psychotropic substances are often, but not restricted to, stimulants and hallucinogens.

Source: WHO Lexicon of Alcohol and Drug Terms; Early-warning system on new psychoactive substances – Operating Guidelines

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Rehabilitation (Rehabilitáció)

In the field of substance use, the process by which an individual with a drug-related problem achieves an optimal state of health, psychological functioning, and social well-being.
Rehabilitation typically follows an initial phase of treatment in which detoxification and, if required, other medical and psychiatric treatment occurs. It encompasses a variety of approaches including group therapy, specific behaviour therapies to prevent relapse, involvement with a mutual-help group, residence in a therapeutic community or half-way house, vocational training, and work experience. There is an expectation of social reintegration into the wider community.

Source: WHO Lexicon of Alcohol and Drug Terms

 

Relative incidence (Relatív incidencia)

Relative incidence is namely that part of total incidence of population that will enter treatment within certain years, without knowing how this part is related to the total incidence of population. 

Source: EMCDDA PDU Guidelines Incidence

 

Risk assessment (Kockázatelemzés)

The ‘joint action concerning the information exchange, risk assessment and control of new synthetic drugs’, was adopted by the Council of the European Union under the Dutch Presidency on 16 June 1997. The 1997 joint action introduced a three-step approach: (1) exchange of information/early-warning system; (2) risk assessment; and (3) a procedure for bringing specific new synthetic drugs under control.
In 2002, a review of the joint action was carried out. Suggestions for improvements led to a process that, in 2005, culminated in Council Decision 2005/387/JHA, which broadens the scope of, and replaces, the 1997 joint action, while maintaining a three-step approach.

„The Council may decide to launch a risk assessment procedure if at least a quarter of its members, or the European Commission, are in favour of this step. The EMCDDA’s Scientific Committee – extended by additional experts from the Member States, the European Commission, Europol and the EMEA – assesses the possible health and social risks of the newly identified drug and the implications of placing it under control. A risk assessment report is presented to the Council, the Commission and the EMEA for consideration.”

Source: Early-warning system on new psychoactive substances – Operating Guidelines

 

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Risky behaviour (Kockázati magatartás)

In relation to drug use, this refers to behaviours which place persons at risk of some drug-related harm. Although most often used in relation to behaviours, such as sharing needles or other injecting equipment (spoon, water, tourniquet, etc.) which place drug injectors at risk of transmission of blood-borne viruses such as HIV or hepatitis C, the term can be applied to any drug and to any risk of harm to livelihood, relationships, legal sanctions, or health.

Source: Demand Reduction – A glossary of Terms, ODCCP Studies on Drugs and Crime

 

Route of administration (Fogyasztás módja)

The way in which a substance is introduced into the body, such as oral ingestion, intravenous (IV), subcutaneous, or intramuscular injection, inhalation, smoking, or absorption through skin or mucosal surfaces, such as the gums, rectum, or genitalia.

Source: WHO Lexicon of Alcohol and Drug Terms

 

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Selective prevention (Célzott prevenció)

Selective prevention strategies target subsets of the total population that are deemed to be at risk for substance abuse by virtue of their membership of a particular population segment, for example the children of adult alcoholics, dropouts or students who are failing academically. Risk groups may be identified on the basis of biological, psychological, social or environmental risk factors known to be associated with substance abuse, and targeted subgroups may be defined by age, gender, family history, place of residence, such as high-drug-use or low-income neighbourhoods, and victimisation by physical and/or sexual abuse. Selective prevention targets the entire subgroup regardless of the degree of risk of any individual within the group. One individual in the subgroup may not be at personal risk for substance abuse, whereas another person in the same subgroup may be abusing substances. The selective prevention programme is presented to the entire subgroup because the subgroup as a whole is at higher risk for substance abuse than the general population. An individual’s personal risk is not specifically assessed or identified and is based solely on a presumption given his or her membership of the at-risk subgroup.

Forrás: EMCDDA – PERK

 

Social reintegration (Társadalmi reintegráció)

is an intervention which aims at integrating the client (former or current problem drug users) into the society. Interventions have to have a predominantly ‘social’ objective in contrast to a predominantly ‘treatment’ objective in order to be considered as social reintegration. Further to this line of thinking, social reintegration can be broken down into the following three pillars: Housing; Education; Employment and vocational training; and a residual category, Other.
Traditionally, social reintegration was seen as an intervention subsequent to the (successful) completion of a treatment process, but increasingly it is considered an intervention which might be applied at any stage of a treatment process.

Source: EMCDDA Structured questionnaire 28 (2005)

 

STI/STD (Nemi úton terjedő betegségek)

Sexually Transmitted Infection/Sexually Transmitted Disease
A sexually transmitted disease (STD) is an illness that has a significant probability of transmission between humans or animals by means of sexual contact, including vaginal intercourse, oral sex, and anal sex. Increasingly, the term sexually transmitted infection (STI) is used, as it has a broader range of meaning; a person may be infected, and may potentially infect others, without showing signs of disease. Some STIs can also be transmitted via the needles used in IV drug use, as well as through childbirth or breastfeeding.

Source: Demand Reduction – A glossary of Terms, ODCCP Studies on Drugs and Crime

 

Substitution treatment/ Drug substitution (Helyettesítő kezelés)

The EMCDDA breaks down drug-related treatment into three pillars, namely withdrawal treatment, medically assisted treatment, and drug-free treatment. The second pillar of medically assisted treatment is broken down further into two ‘sub-pillars’, namely substitution treatment and antagonist treatment. Any of the above-mentioned treatment intervention can then take place in one of three settings: outpatient, inpatient, or at a General Practitioner.

Source: EMCDDA Structured questionnaire 27 (2005) and structured questionnaire 31 (2006)

Treatment of drug dependence by prescription of a substitute drug for which cross-dependence and cross-tolerance exist. The goals of drug substitution are to eliminate or reduce use of a particular substance, especially if it is illegal, or to reduce harm from a particular method of administration, the attendant dangers to health (e.g. from needle sharing), and the social consequences. Drug substitution is often accompanied by psychological and other treatment.
The mode of treatment that uses an agonist (methadone) or a partial agonist (buprenorphine) of the used drugs (opiates) to treat addiction under medical supervision. Substitution drugs may be prescribed as part of short- or medium-term treatment with the objective of abstinence or long-term maintenance.
Drug substitution can last from several weeks to many years, sometimes indefinitely.

Source: EMCDDA Structured questionnaire 31 (2006); Demand Reduction – A glossary of Terms, ODCCP Studies on Drugs and Crime; WHO Lexicon of Alcohol and Drug Terms

 

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Sub-cutaneous route of administration (Szubkután fogyasztási mód)

Literally ‘under the skin’. Some psychoactive substances may be injected sub-cutaneously and absorbed into the blood stream through the surrounding tissues. The effects are less pronounced and experienced over a longer time period.

Source : Demand Reduction – A glossary of Terms, ODCCP Studies on Drugs and Crime

 

Supply (Kínálat)

A quantity of a product that is ‘in the market’ and available for purchase. To furnish or provide a thing or things (in this case an illicit drug or drugs) which are needed or wanted, i.e. for which there is a demand.

Source: Demand Reduction – A glossary of Terms, ODCCP Studies on Drugs and Crime

 

Supply reduction (Kínálatcsökkentés)

A broad term used for a range of activities designed to stop the production, manufacture and distribution of illicit drugs. Production can be curtailed through crop eradication or through large programmes of alternative development. Production (illicit manufacture) is attacked directly through the suppression of illicit laboratories and/or the control of precursor chemicals, while distribution is reduced through police and customs, and in some countries by military operations. Supply control is a term often used to cover police and customs activities.

Source: Demand Reduction – A glossary of Terms, ODCCP Studies on Drugs and Crime

 

Syphilis (Lues) (Szifilisz (lues, vérbaj))

It is a curable sexually transmitted disease caused by the Treponema pallidum spirochete. The route of transmission of syphilis is almost always by sexual contact, although there are examples of congenital syphilis via transmission from mother to child in utero and can be contracted also by direct contact with infected tissues and blood.

Source: Dorland’s Illustrated Medical Dictionary

 

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Trafficking (Csempészet)

The trade or dealing in some illicit commodity or goods, in this case a drug. Can include importation and exportation of drugs or possession of drugs for the purpose of sale or supply to others. In law, trafficking offences typically receive harsher penalties than those associated with drug possession for individual use. The distinction between trafficking and more minor offences may be made according to the amount of drug deemed in law to be a trafficable quantity or to other factors such as testimony of the accused or others, or the possession of money or paraphernalia deemed to be involved in the sale or supply of drugs. In practice, many users also engage in small-scale drug selling transactions.

Source: Demand Reduction – A glossary of Terms, ODCCP Studies on Drugs and Crime

 

Treatment (TDI definition) (Kezelés – TDI definíció)

Drug treatment is any activity that directly targets individuals who have problems with their drug use and which aims to improve the psychological, medical or social state of those who seek help for their drug problems.

Methodological considerations

The above is a broad definition that includes:

— interventions aimed at reducing drug-related harm amongst active users, as well as those whose primary goal is detoxification and abstinence;
— non-medical as well as medical interventions; and
— programmes based on informal advice, counselling or support, as well as more specialised or structured longer-term programmes. 

However, the definition excludes:
— contacts with general services involving requests for social assistance only;
— contacts in which drug use is not the primary reason for seeking help;
— imprisonment per se (although it includes admissions to drug-treatment programmes in 17 prison or to treatment as an alternative to prison);
— interventions solely concerned with the physical complications of drug misuse (such as overdoses or infections treated in hospital);
— contacts by telephone or letter only; and
— contact with the family only.

This definition is deliberately broad in order to include as wide a range of drug users as
possible. It is primarily based on epidemiology and medical considerations do not play an
important role in this context.

Source: TDI protocol

 

Treatment Demand Indicator (TDI) Kezelési Igény Indikátor (TDI)

The EMCDDA Treatment Demand Indicator (hereafter referred to as the TDI) plays an important role among the Centre’s five key epidemiological indicators which provide a broad, comparative description of the state of, and trends in, drug use in Europe. These five indicators reflect both the prevalence of drug use and its health consequences.
The treatment demand indicator (TDI) measures the yearly uptake of treatment facilities by the overall numbers entering treatment for drug use, and by the numbers amongst these of people entering for the first time (treatment incidence). Information on the number of people seeking treatment for a drug problem provides insight into general trends in problem drug use and also offers a perspective on the organisation and uptake of treatment facilities. Treatment demand data come principally from outpatient clinics’ treatment records.
The objective of the TDI project is to extend the detailed data collection to a full coverage on all the treatment centres in order to have a better picture of the European clients demanding treatment for their drug use. The collection system classifies clients by primary and secondary drugs used: primary drug is the drug reported as the drug that causes the client the most problems. It can be based on problems as defined by clients or on short diagnoses based on the ICD-10. The main drug is also the main reason for asking for treatment; the secondary drugs are the drugs taken in addition to the primary drug; up to 4 different drugs can be recorded for every client.

Source: EMCDDA website; TDI Protocol

 

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Tuberculosis (TB) (Tuberkulózis)

Tuberculosis (abbreviated as TB for tubercle bacillus or Tuberculosis) is a common and deadly infectious disease caused by mycobacteria, mainly Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis most commonly attacks the lungs (as pulmonary TB) but can also affect the central nervous system, the lymphatic system, the circulatory system, the genitourinary system, bones, joints and even the skin. The lung is the usual portal through which the infection reaches the other organs.
Route of transmission: When people suffering from active pulmonary TB cough, sneeze, speak, kiss, or spit, they expel infectious aerosol droplets.
A rising number of people in the developed world are contracting tuberculosis because their immune systems are compromised by immunosuppressive drugs, substance abuse, or HIV/AIDS.

Source: Dorland’s Illustrated Medical Dictionary

 

Universal prevention (általános prevenció)

Universal prevention strategies address the entire population (local community, pupils, neighbourhood). The aim of universal prevention is to deter or to delay the onset of substance abuse by providing all individuals the information and skills necessary to prevent the problem. Universal prevention programs are delivered to large groups without any prior screening for substance abuse risk. All members of the population share the same general risk for substance abuse, although the risk may vary greatly among individuals.

Source: EMCDDA – PERK

 

Withdrawal treatment (Elvonó/megvonó kezelés)

The EMCDDA breaks down drug-related treatment into three pillars, namely withdrawal treatment, medically assisted treatment, and drug-free treatment. The second pillar of medically assisted treatment is broken down further into two ‘sub-pillars’, namely substitution treatment and antagonist treatment. Any of the above-mentioned treatment intervention can then take place in one of three settings: outpatient, inpatient, or at a General Practitioner.

Treatment that, with or without medication, aims to remove the client’s physical craving for drugs.

Source: EMCDDA Structured questionnaire 27 (2005) and structured questionnaire 31 (2006)

 

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