Abstract
Background and aims: Alcohol addiction affects various aspects of life, including physical health, mental well-being, and social relationships. This study aimed to identify which domains of the quality of life (QOL) are mostly influenced in individuals with alcohol addiction compared to non-alcoholics. Understanding these effects is crucial for developing effective public health strategies to improve the well-being of those affected by alcohol addiction.
Methods: This case-control observational study included 30 male alcoholics and 30 non-alcoholics. After obtaining ethical approval and participant consent, general socio-demographic data were collected from Jaipur in 2020. Then, addiction was assessed using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, and QOL was measured with the World Health Organization QOL-BREF. Finally, the data were analyzed using MS Excel and Primer 7, with unpaired t-tests for continuous variables and chi-square tests for categorical variables (P<0.05).
Results: Alcoholics were often uncertain about their QOL, while non-alcoholics generally rated it as good. The mean QOL score was 75.8 and 65.29 for the control and alcoholics. No significant difference in general health was found between the groups. However, there were considerable differences (P<0.001) in psychological health and environmental domains.
Conclusion: Overall, psychological and social aspects of QOL are more significantly affected by moderate alcohol addiction than physical health. Accordingly, policymakers should focus on enhancing the mental and social well-being of alcoholics.