title: Socioeconomic impact of alcohol in patients with alcoholic liver disease in eastern India.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to estimate the socioeconomic impact of alcohol use on patients with alcoholic liver disease (ALD) and their families.
  
  
  METHODS
  The demographic and socioeconomic data were collected from hospitalized ALD patients and attendants using a self designed non validated questionnaire and analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Study subjects included 100 consecutive ALD patients (all males). Sixty percent were between 30 and 50 years. Most were married (96 %), literate (63 %), either businessmen (37 %) or employed (30 %) and belonged to middle socioeconomic class. Ninety percent started alcohol use before age 30 years and half during teenage. Mean alcohol intake was 190 mL/day (mean duration 23 years); 60 % consumed alcohol daily. Concomitant tobacco abuse was noted in 79 %. Average expenditure on alcohol was Rs 3800/month. Average hospitalizations for ALD related problems was 2.6 times/year with average expenditure of INR 30,000 (~440 US$) during each hospitalization. For treatment expenses, 86 % of patients borrowed money from friends/relatives, 36 % used saving deposits, and 4 % sold personal belongings. Eleven percent lost their job, and 7 % sold immovable property. In 43 % of cases, children were deprived of education. Besides, 52 % had disturbed social and family life, 34 % abused their spouse, 20 % suffered accidents, and 37 % indulged in physical violence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Majority of ALD patients and their families had disturbed social and family life and incurred severe financial loss arising of alcohol use.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Sriram Chandra Bhanj Medical College, Cuttack, Odisha, 753 007, India. scb_gastro_dept@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Shivaram Prasad
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Sriram Chandra Bhanj Medical College, Cuttack, Odisha, 753 007, India.
authors.forename: Pradeep Kumar
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Padhi
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Sriram Chandra Bhanj Medical College, Cuttack, Odisha, 753 007, India.
authors.forename: Jimmy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Narayan
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Sriram Chandra Bhanj Medical College, Cuttack, Odisha, 753 007, India.
authors.forename: Ayaskanta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Sriram Chandra Bhanj Medical College, Cuttack, Odisha, 753 007, India.
authors.forename: Girish Kumar
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Pati
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Sriram Chandra Bhanj Medical College, Cuttack, Odisha, 753 007, India.
authors.forename: Preetam
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nath
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Sriram Chandra Bhanj Medical College, Cuttack, Odisha, 753 007, India.
authors.forename: Prasant Kumar
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Parida
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Sriram Chandra Bhanj Medical College, Cuttack, Odisha, 753 007, India.
authors.forename: Sunil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mishra
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008108:Liver Diseases, Alcoholic / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Alcohol related disorder; Alcohol users; Alcoholic liver disease; Odisha State Treatment Fund; Social impact; Socioeconomic factor; The International Labor Organization