Quality of life and its associated factors among patients with substance use disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background This study aimed to describe the quality of life (QoL) in patients with substance use disorder (SUD) and investigate factors associated with general QoL among patients with SUD. Methods Studies in English published before December 1(st), 2021, were searched for on PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, and Web of Science to identify primary studies on the factors associated with general QoL in patients with SUD. After reviewing for study duplicates, the full-texts of selected papers were assessed for eligibility using PECO criteria. Results After a detailed assessment of over 10,230 papers, a total of 20 studies met the eligibility criteria. The current research analyzed various relationships between sociodemographic features, clinical, the type of used drug, service use utilizations, and general QoL in patients with SUD. The odds of having a good general QoL were reduced among patients with common and severe mental disorders, alcohol use disorders (AUD), and receiving inpatient care; however, a better general QoL was observed among those receiving methadone maintenance treatment (MMT). Conclusions Healthcare staff are recommended to pay high attention to the general QoL of patients with SUD seeking interventions. In addition, it is suggested that policymakers address substance use disorders when designing national guidelines and programs.