title: Quality of life of alcoholics and non-alcoholics: does excessive drinking make a difference in the urban setting?
abstract: The current study assessed whether perceived quality of life differed between alcoholics and non-alcoholics. Patients attending an urban-based hospital were screened for alcoholism using the CAGE questionnaire. Patients were recruited from an out-patient clinic setting as well as from an in-patient substance abuse unit. Quality of life scores were based on Chubon's (1987) Life Situation Survey. Results indicated that alcoholics experience a lower quality of life than their non-alcoholic counterparts regardless of setting; however, all patients reported experiencing poor life quality. The impact of alcoholism treatment programmes on patients already experiencing low quality of life is questioned.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Medical College of Virginia, Richmond.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Welsh
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Buchsbaum
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Kaplan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000523:psychology*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D005260:Female; D006786:Hospitals, Urban; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014504:Urban Health; D014768:Virginia