Quality of life and disability are important indices that
may help change the perception, treatment and care of
those with alcohol or drug dependence problem. A
cross-sectional survey was done among 25 drug and 25
alcohol dependents consecutively admitted to a
community based residential withdrawal service in
Melbourne, Australia to assess their quality of life and
disabilities using the World Health Organisation
Quality of Life (WHOQoL)-Bref and the World Health
Organisation Disability Assessment Scale (WHODAS)
questionnaires. The quality of life of the sample
population was found to be significantly poorer than the
general population. The scores on quality of life and
disability measurements in the group of patients with
alcohol dependence were similar to the other drug
dependent group.