An Exploration of Quality of Life and its Predictors in Patients with Addictive Disorders: Gambling, Alcohol and Drugs

The study set out to examine Quality of Life (QoL), specifically subjective well being in three different addiction populations (260 alcohol-dependent, 282 drug-dependent, and 132 pathological gambling outpatients) at their first visit to treatment, using the Personal Well being Index (PWI). The mean PWI score for all patients was significantly below (i.e., 15 points) Asian norms. Despite reporting a greater addiction severity, alcohol patients scored significantly higher on the PWI compared with drug patients. Despite having demographic characteristics associated with higher functioning, gambling patients did not have the highest QoL; falling in between the alcohol and drug patients. Being married was the only significant predictor of normal personal wellbeing, whilst having debts, a past/current psychiatric morbidity, and a higher addiction severity significantly predicted an abnormal personal wellbeing. Treatment services should pay close attention and target the specific life domains where poor satisfaction is reported by the different addiction populations.