The effect of substance abuse on the quality of life of the user

Abstract

Abstract Background: Substance abuse affects all aspects of a person‟s life. Substance related problems are gradually becoming a burning issue in Bangladesh. Objectives of the study: The objectives of the study were to see the sociodemographic

characteristics, association between socio-demographic factors and quality of life QOL, and the effects of substance abuse on different domains of QOL of the abuser. Methodology: Cross sectional study design was selected to conduct this study on 101 substance abusers from APoN Gaon by using World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-Bref). Result & discussion: This study encompasses that, QOL has a significant association with age (P>0.025), marital status (P>0.039), pre-morbid occupation (P>0.006), frequency to use substances (P>0.000), and ways to collect money to use substances (P>0.005). This result showed that 25-35 olds users‟ physical and social health is better than others. Similarly, ≥36 year‟s older user‟s psychological and environmental health is better than others. Male user‟s physical and environmental health is better than females. Female user‟s psychological and social health is better than males. Higher educated users QOL is better than illiterate and others. Town living users QOL is better than village living users. Married user‟s physical health, unmarried users‟ psychological and environmental health and users who lived together had higher scores in social relationship of QOL. Student and unemployed users QOL scores are lower than employed, businessman and housewife. Users whose monthly income >50000 taka had higher scores in all domains of QOL. Poly-SUs and daily users QOL scores lower than others. In addition, users those collected money by stealing and drugs business had lower scores in QOL than others. Conclusion: Substance abuse and QOL is interlinked. The findings of this study would help to determine the disease burden and consequence to use substance. Therefore the study would provide feedback to the family, community and finally to the policymakers.