Decreased alcohol consumption in outpatient drinkers is associated with improved quality of life and fewer alcohol-related consequences

This study's objective was to determine whether changes in alcohol consumption are associated with changes in quality of life and alcohol-related consequences in an outpatient sample of drinkers. Two hundred thirteen subjects completed the Short Form 36-item (SF-36) Health Survey and the Short Inventory of Problems at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. Subjects who sustained a 30% or greater decrease in drinks per month reported improvement in SF-36 Physical Component Summary (P = .058) and Mental Component Summary (P = .037) scores and had fewer alcohol-related consequences (P < .001) when compared to those with a <30% decrease. These findings suggest another benefit of alcohol screening and intervention in the primary care setting.