Quality of life as an outcome measure in the treatment of alcohol dependence

BACKGROUND: Quality of life has emerged as an important treatment outcome measure for alcohol dependence whose natural course comprises of remission and relapse. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The purpose of this study was to examine the prospective change in Quality of life (QoL) in 56 patients aged 18-45 years of alcohol dependence over a three months’ period and compare it with QoL of 150 age- and gender- matched healthy controls using WHOQoL-BREF. Severity of alcohol dependence and drinking parameters were assessed. RESULTS: Significant improvement in QoL of patients of alcohol dependence over three months’ abstinence. The physical, psychological, social, and environment domains of QoL in alcohol dependence subjects were significantly lower before treatment initiation than the healthy controls. Alcoholic liver disease emerged as a predictor of improvement in psychological and social domains of QoL. CONCLUSION: The study confirms poor quality of life in patients of alcohol dependence before intervention. The regular follow-up with the family members in out-patient setting enables the patients achieve complete abstinence, thereby improving their quality of life.