The Neighborhood Environments of Mutual-Help Recovery Houses: Comparisons by Perceived Socioeconomic Status

Abstract

This study examined the setting and house-level characteristics of 160 self-governed, mutual-support substance abuse recovery homes, called Oxford Houses (OHs), across the United States. These dwellings were located in four different neighborhood types: upper or middle class (n = 23 houses), urban working or lower class (n = 71 houses), suburban upper or middle-class (n = 39 Houses), and suburban working or lower class (n = 27 houses). Interior dwelling characteristics and amenities located within a 2-block radius were similar across the four neighborhood types. However, houses in urban, working, and lower class neighborhoods reported more alcohol- or drug-intoxicated persons. Most importantly, despite the greater potential for environmental temptations and easier access for substances, none of the neighborhood factors including neighborhood socioeconomic status significantly predicted relapse rates over a 12-month period.

KEYWORDS:

• Oxford House
• group homes
• environmental factors
• neighborhoods

Funding for this manuscript was made possible in part by NIH grant awards from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA # DA13231). The authors express much gratitude to Ed Anderson for data analysis, to Brad Olson, Meg Davis, John Majer, and Josefina Alvarez for feedback on conceptualizations, and to the Oxford House members who allowed information on their homes for inclusion in this study.