Disability associated with alcohol abuse and dependence.
BACKGROUND
Alcohol use disorders (AUD), i.e., alcohol dependence and abuse, are major contributors to burden of disease. A large part of this burden is because of disability. However, there is still controversy about the best disability weighting for AUD. The objective of this study was to provide an overview of alcohol-related disabilities.


METHODS
Systematic literature review and expert interviews.


RESULTS
There is heterogeneity in experts' descriptions of disabilities related to AUD. The major core attributes of disability related to AUD are changes of emotional state, social relationships, memory and thinking. The most important supplementary attributes are anxiety, impairments of speech and hearing.


CONCLUSIONS
This review identified the main patterns of disability associated with AUD. However, there was considerable variability, and data on less prominent patterns were fragmented. Further and systematic research is required for increasing the knowledge on disability related to AUD and for application of interventions for reducing the associated burden.
Samokhvalov
Andriy V
AV
Centre forAddiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Public Health and Regulatory Policy, 33 Russell Street, Room 2035, Toronto, ON M5S2S1, Canada. avsamokhvalov@yahoo.ca
Popova
Svetlana
S
Room
Robin
R
Ramonas
Milita
M
Rehm
Jürgen
J
D000437:Alcoholism / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000523:psychology; D017281:Cost of Illness; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D004644:Emotions / Q000187:drug effects; D006311:Hearing Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects; D012919:Social Behavior; D013064:Speech Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000523:psychology; D013850:Thinking / Q000187:drug effects