Quality of life in veterans with alcohol dependence and co-occurring mental illness

• We compared two groups of veterans with different comorbid conditions.
• We examined how quality of life changed with 12-week AD treatment in the 2 groups.
• Quality of life improved for all veterans regardless of comorbid diagnosis.
• There was so difference in the quality of life between the two groups.
• Abstinence influenced the quality of life.

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.