title: Quality of life in veterans with alcohol dependence and co-occurring mental illness.
abstract: Quality of life is negatively impacted by diagnosis of mental illness. Those with mental illness report problems in physical, psychological, cognitive, social, and occupational functioning. This study was designed to examine changes in quality of life in veterans with dual diagnoses. All veterans participated in a treatment study designed to treat alcohol dependence with naltrexone, disulfiram, and the combination of naltrexone/disulfiram or placebo for 12 weeks. Quality of life was assessed before treatment and at the end of treatment. Quality of life improved for all veterans and the improvement was more significant for those who abstained from alcohol throughout treatment. Severity of psychiatric symptom was associated with worse quality of life. This study demonstrates the importance of addressing social functioning in veterans with dual diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States; Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, United States; Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, United States. Electronic address: elizabeth.ralevski@yale.edu.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ralevski
authors.forename: Mayumi O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Gianoli
authors.forename: Elissa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: McCarthy
authors.forename: Ismene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Petrakis
mesh_terms: D064829:Alcohol Abstinence / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000427:Alcohol Deterrents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D010054:Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale; D015897:Comorbidity; D003237:Connecticut / Q000453:epidemiology; D017831:Diagnosis, Dual (Psychiatry); D004221:Disulfiram / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008404:Massachusetts / Q000453:epidemiology; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009271:Naltrexone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010919:Placebos; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D000427:Alcohol Deterrents; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists; D010919:Placebos; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs; D009271:Naltrexone; D004221:Disulfiram
keywords: Alcohol dependence; Dual diagnosis; Mental illness; Quality of life