Quality of life and alcohol consumption in male patients with liver diseases

Abstract

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Dysfunctional use of alcohol is a problem with broad consequences. Moreover, there exists little evidence about the impact of dysfunctional use on quality of life. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the quality of life of patients with liver diseases and to verify its possible associations with alcohol consumption and sociodemographic variables. METHOD: Transverse study with masculine patients between 20 and 59 years of age and with at least 5 years of primary school completed, assessed between April and December 2009 in a hepatology service. Instruments: CAGE, AUDIT, WHOQOL-Bref and sociodemographic questionnaire. RESULTS: CAGE positive patients had a lower average in the physical domain of WHOQOL (p = 0.027). Those who never used alcohol had higher scores in the social domain compared to patients with medium and high risk consumption or probable dependence in the past year (p = 0.023 and p = 0.036 respectively). Abstainers and low-risk users recorded the highest average in the social domain compared to medium risk users in the past year (p = 0.031). DISCUSSION: The lowest levels of quality of life in the physical (CAGE) and social (AUDIT) domains reported by patients with alcohol consumption of high risk or probable dependence are consistent with findings in the literature.