Communal housing settings enhance substance abuse recovery

Am J Public Health. 2006 Oct;96(10):1727-9. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2005.070839.

Abstract

Oxford Houses are democratic, mutual help-oriented recovery homes for individuals with substance abuse histories. There are more than 1200 of these houses in the United States, and each home is operated independently by its residents, without help from professional staff. In a recent experiment, 150 individuals in Illinois were randomly assigned to either an Oxford House or usual-care condition (i.e., outpatient treatment or self-help groups) after substance abuse treatment discharge. At the 24-month follow-up, those in the Oxford House condition compared with the usual-care condition had significantly lower substance use, significantly higher monthly income, and significantly lower incarceration rates.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Aftercare
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Group Homes*
  • Humans
  • Legislation, Drug
  • Recurrence
  • Substance Abuse Treatment Centers*
  • Substance-Related Disorders / rehabilitation*
  • United States