Background: Quality of Life (QOL) among elderly is a neglected issue especially in developing countries including India.

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Introduction: The World Health Organization's (WHO) Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) is used extensively across the world, with cutoff scores recommended by the WHO. We reviewed the use and validity of AUDIT cutoff scores in low-and middle-income countries as cultural contexts are expected to influence the detection of alcohol use disorders. Materials and Methods: The systematic review was guided by an a priori defined protocol consistent with the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) statement. We searched Cochrane library, Medline, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Indmed, LILACS, and AJOL databases using appropriate search terms. We conducted a narrative synthesis of the data. Results: We identified 54 distinct studies that used AUDIT cutoff scores which were not in alignment with those recommended by the WHO. India (n=10), Nigeria (n=9), and Brazil (n=9) produced most of these included studies. Most of the studies (n=42) did not conduct psychometric evaluations of AUDIT cutoff scores. Of the twelve studies which did report psychometric results, a wide range of cutoff scores performed well. In these studies the cutoff

Introduction. Stigma towards alcohol use disorders is prevalent in India and can lead to social exclusion and hamper treatment access and outcomes. Family members of individuals with dependent drinking are often their primary caregivers and play a key role in decisions around help-seeking, treatment and recovery. The nature and role of stigma in caregiving, and the consequent burden on family caregivers of those with dependent drinking, has not been qualitatively studied in India. Methods. We conducted in-depth interviews with: (i) men with probable alcohol dependence (n = 11); (ii) family caregivers (n = 12); and (iii) doctors with experience of treating alcohol dependence (n = 13) in community settings in Goa. Data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Results. Two primary themes were identified from the data: (i) stigma in the form of ignorance, prejudice and discrimination; and (ii) the impact of this stigma on caregiving decisions and the mental health of caregivers. Discussion and Conclusions. We found that stigma functioned as a barrier to a proper course of treatment and care, as well as a detrimental factor for caregiver's mental health and caregiving decision-making. Stigma towards dependent drinking in the forms of ignorance, prejudice and discrimination is prevalent within homes, workplaces and health systems and might exacerbate the caregiving burden among female family caregivers. Policies, educational programs and campaigns aimed at preventing stigma in these forms would likely enable access to more inclusive and appropriate health services, benefit the health of family caregivers and improve the treatment outcomes of drinkers.

Introduction and Aims Of the Indian population, 2.7% have alcohol dependence, the most severe of alcohol use disorders. Alcohol use disorders have previously been found to be correlated with a range of negative economic outcomes, but dependent drinking has yet to be causally identified as a poverty trap. We use qualitative data as the first step towards identifying the mechanisms that may underlie a dependent drinking driven poverty trap in India. Design and Methods Thirty‐six in‐depth interviews were conducted and analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Participants were men having probable alcohol dependence (n = 11), doctors (n = 13) who come into contact with patients presenting with alcohol dependence at government hospitals and clinics, and family members of men with probable alcohol dependence (n = 12) in Goa, India. Results Our key findings showed that families of those who have alcohol dependence have less opportunity for saving, more job instability and poor treatment opportunity to aid recovery and allow escaping from the trap. Discussion and Conclusions Households in Goa, India with a member with alcohol dependence display patterns consistent with a poverty trap, though the mechanisms derived from these qualitative data need to be further demonstrated by longitudinal quantitative data to corroborate a causal relationship between alcohol use disorders and poverty.