Quality of life assessment instruments used in clinical trials for alcohol use disorder: A systematic review

Quality of life (QoL) measures are increasingly used as outcome indicators in both pharmacological and non-pharmacological intervention trials for alcohol use disorder (AUD). However, there is no current and comprehensive review to inform standardization and utilization of psychometrically sound measures adapted to an AUD population. Therefore, this systematic review aims to identify QoL assessment instruments used in clinical trials targeting AUD and provide an overview of the psychometric properties of the most frequently used instruments.

A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, and PsycINFO up to July 20th, 2023. Studies were included if they were original controlled trials assessing QoL in adults with AUD. Data extraction included study characteristics and details of QoL assessment instruments. Psychometric properties of frequently used instruments were analyzed.

Out of 3751 studies, 61 met inclusion criteria. Across these, 19 different QoL instruments were identified, with the SF-36 being the most frequently used. Our findings indicate that while several generic and health-related QoL instruments were employed, more than half of the instruments were applied in only one study, and generally few studies report on the psychometric properties specific to AUD populations.

The findings underscore a lack of standardized practice and utilization of the most empirically sound QoL assessment instruments in clinical trials targeting AUD. This review provides an updated and more comprehensive synthesis than previous reviews, highlights the need for validated, AUD-specific QoL measures, and suggests directions for future research, including the development of core outcome sets.