Glossary This introductory module can be used to clarify terminology used throughout the learning indicators.

Learning Objectives

• Become familiar with terms used across professions, such as patient versus client.
• Understand how different terms are used interchangeably across professions.
• Become familiar with terminology in different health fields.
• Understand that stigmatized language varies across disciplines.

Notes About Language

This resource attempts to use language that is accurate, clear, nonjudgmental, and non-stigmatizing throughout these modules. However, terminology can change rapidly and may not be consistent between professions or in external content.

Glossary

analgesic

a substance that reduces pain and may or may not have psychoactive properties

bias

a prejudiced outlook and a tendency to believe that some people, ideas, and so on, are better than others, which usually results in treating some people unfairly

benzodiazepines

a group of drugs used mainly as sedatives or hypnotics, muscle relaxants, and anti-epileptics; can act as mild tranquilizers

biomedicine

medicine based on the application of the principles of the natural sciences, especially biology and biochemistry

childhood trauma

a traumatic event for a child that is frightening, dangerous, or violent and poses a threat to the child’s life or bodily integrity; often caused by an unsolicited action that occurs with the intent of inflicting social, emotional, physical, or sexual harm on a child

client (client-centred)

pharmacy definition: an individual or a family receiving medical treatment; depending on where the health care professional is working (e.g., private clinic, community health centre), client is used interchangeably with patient or service user

nursing definition: an individual or a family receiving medical treatment; depending on where the health care professional is working (e.g., private clinic, community health centre), client is used interchangeably with patient or service user

social work definition: an individual or a family using the services of a social worker; social workers use the term client interchangeably with service user

collaboration

providers from various specialties working together to provide care for individuals and their families; collaborative models bring various health and social service professionals together

countertransference

the inner emotional reaction of a social worker (or any individual helping another) to a client

cultural competence

an examination of one’s own cultural backgrounds and identities while seeking out the necessary knowledge, skills, and values to enhance services to individuals who have different cultural experiences because of their race, ethnicity, gender, class, sexual orientation, religion, age or disability

cultural humility

an acknowledgement of health and social service providers’ position of power in relation to the individual or populations they serve; involves a lifelong commitment to self-evaluation and self-critique to address power imbalances and to develop mutually beneficial, non-paternalistic clinical and advocacy partnerships

cultural lens

see cultural competence

cultural safety

an understanding of power differentials inherent in health and social service delivery and a redressing of these inequities through educational processes

disposal

recycling or discarding of drugs; safe disposal of unused and expired prescription drugs involves bringing the drugs to a local pharmacist for proper disposal; medicines should not be flushed down the toilet or sink

diversion

a medical and legal concept that refers to any criminal act or deviation that removes a prescription drug from its intended recipient

excessive substance use

a maladaptive pattern of substance use indicated by continued use despite knowing or having persistent or recurrent social, occupational, psychological, or physical problem caused or exacerbated by the use; might be considered stigmatizing language in some fields; was previously known as substance abuse, but that term is now discouraged

gender

the behavioural, cultural, or psychological traits typically associated with a particular sex

genetic transmission (historical trauma)

intergenerational transmission of the effect’s trauma through the possible role of epigenetic mechanisms

health literacy

the degree to which an individual has the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions and manage health care needs

historical trauma

a collective trauma inflicted on a group of people based on their identity or affiliation related to ethnicity, religious background, and nationality

intergenerational trauma

trauma that is passed down behaviourally to the next generation

interpersonal trauma

traumatic experiences that include emotional abuse, emotional neglect, physical abuse, physical neglect, or sexual abuse in childhood or adulthood that can lead to posttraumatic stress disorder and myriad health issues

interprofessional

involving providers from various specialties who work together to provide care for individuals and their families

intersectionality

the examination of forms of oppression and discrimination through multiple lenses and identities, including race and ethnicity, immigration, refugee and tribal status, religion and spirituality, sexual orientation, gender identity, social class, mental or physical disability, and so on; an intersectional approach integrates a diversity approach to practice from a holistic point of view

intersectoral action

action affecting health outcomes undertaken by sectors outside the health sector, most often in collaboration with the health sector

intra-articular glucocorticoids

medications injected into joints; glucocorticoids closely resemble cortisol, a hormone produced by the adrenal glands; effective at reducing inflammation and suppressing the immune system

misuse

the use of a substance for a purpose not consistent with legal or medical guidelines (WHO, 2006)

neonatal abstinence syndrome

a condition resulting from the sudden discontinuation of fetal exposure to substances that were used or excessively used by the mother during pregnancy

opioid overdose

an event that occurs when an individual has excessive unopposed stimulation of the opiate pathway that can lead to decreased respiratory function and death

opioid poisoning

see opioid overdose; also called opioid intoxication or opioid overdose

organic molecule

a molecule that has a backbone primarily made of carbon atoms that other atoms can bind to; the simplest organic molecule is a hydrocarbon, in which hydrogen atoms bind to the carbon backbone; all living things are composed of organic molecules

patient (patient-centred)

an individual or a family receiving health and social services, and/or medical treatment; see also client

peer engagement

the use of peers (persons with lived experience of substance use) as experts to inform effective health service program planning and delivery

peer support

the use of peers (persons with lived experience of substance use) who are trained to provide emotional and practical support to others experiencing substance use

peer leaders

the use of peers (persons with lived experience of substance use) who are trained to lead recovery programs and support others experiencing substance use

polypharmacy

the use of multiple medications, often used to treat multimorbidity; the risk of adverse effects and harm increases as the number of medications increases

prejudice

a preconceived judgment or an adverse opinion formed without sufficient knowledge, which can result in injury or damage because of the disregard of an individual’s rights

psychopathology

a dysfunction of cognitive and emotion regulation spanning multiple brain lobes; examples: schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, Alzheimer’s disease, autism

resilience

the ability to recover from or adapt to misfortune or change

sex

the biological basis of reproductive organs and structures that compartmentalize male and female based on those reproductive organs and physiological structures

signs

the materializations of disease that the health care provider can perceive; normally objective evidence of disease compared to symptoms, which are the subjective materializations of disease that the patient perceives

spiritual safety

the safety recipients of care feel to practise their faith or belief system and have health and social service professionals ensure that safety through acknowledging, understanding, demonstrating respect for, and responding effectively to spiritual needs

spiritual well-being

an individual’s feeling of being connected to something greater and having a sense of purpose in life; relates directly to quality of life

sublingual

administered under the tongue

substance use

the use of a substance introduced externally to the body that can include such forms as prescription medication, illegal drugs, inhalants, and solvents.

substance use disorder

the use of a substance that can harm an individual’s physical, emotional, or social health; according to the DSM-5 (American Psychiatric Association, 2013), the individual wants to use the substance, even after social and professional consequences, because intense desire and craving for the substance can lead to withdrawal symptoms

symptoms

the materializations of disease that the patient can perceive; normally subjective experiences of disease compared to signs, which are objective materializations that the health care provider can perceive

trauma

the lasting emotional response that results from a deeply distressing or disturbing experience

trauma-informed care

a method of providing care that incorporates an understanding that traumatic life experiences, even generational harms, can impact psychosocial functioning across the lifespan

victim

a person who is harmed or injured by something or by a situation; a stigmatizing term that should be avoided; usually replaced with person who is experiencing or an individual who has experienced

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References