Perceptions on quality of life among persons recovering from alcohol use in Kirinyaga County, Kenya.

Abstract

Drugs and alcohol abuse impairs an individual’s ability to live a normal life. These problems relate to all spheres of life; physical and mental health, social and economic. With rehabilitation it is expected that these aspects of quality of life will improve. However, majority of the studies have largely focused on abstinence as the rehabilitation outcome. This study aimed at establishing the perceptions of quality of life among persons recovering from alcoholism after presidential crackdown and subsequent rehabilitation in Kirinyaga County. The study utilized a descriptive survey. The study population was drawn from persons attending community support groups established after presidential crackdown on illicit brew and subsequent rehabilitation. A multi-stage purposive sampling method was utilized to get eleven (11) support groups and one hundred and forty-one (141) respondents. A Questionnaire and a focus group discussions were utilized to collect data. Abstinence was measured using Recovering Addicts Adherence Scale (RAAS) which was adapted from Alcoholics Anonymous Affiliation Scale. Perceptions of quality of life outcomes were measured using Recovering Addict’s Quality of Life Scale (RAQOLS) which was adapted from the World Health Organization Quality of Life instrument (WHOQOL-BREF). Data collected was coded and analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23 and analysed using descriptive statistics. The study findings revealed favourable perceptions of quality of life in all the four domains. Physical health was rated moderate while social health was rated highly. This can be attributed to the support groups which emphasized on empowerment of the recovering persons and abstinence. Favourable rates of abstinence can also be attributed to improved quality of life. The implication to treatment is that domains of quality of life need to be emphasized during treatment process for the ultimate goal of rehabilitation to be achieved.