Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40241267›Full record

ArticleSubstance use & misuse2025

Reasons for Leaving Sober Living Houses and Their Associations with Substance Use, Psychiatric, and Housing Outcomes.

Douglas L Polcin, Elizabeth Mahoney, Meenakshi Subbaraman, Amy A Mericle

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Substance use & misuse, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Douglas L PolcinBehavioral Health and Recovery Studies, Public Health Institute, Oakland, California, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-6518-8628
Elizabeth MahoneyBehavioral Health and Recovery Studies, Public Health Institute, Oakland, California, USA.
Meenakshi SubbaramanBehavioral Health and Recovery Studies, Public Health Institute, Oakland, California, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-1336-7552
Amy A MericleAlcohol Research Group, Public Health Institute, Emeryville, California, USA.

Funding

Evidence Based Sober Living Houses: A Multi-level AnalysisR01DA042938 · NIDA · PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTE · PI POLCIN, DOUGLAS L · 2017 to 2021
$2.9M
Peer Helping, Retention, and Relapse in Sober Living HousesR01AA028252 · NIAAA · PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTE · PI POLCIN, DOUGLAS L · 2020 to 2024
$2.5M
NIAAA NIH HHS R01 AA028252NIDA NIH HHS R01 DA042938
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSober living houses (SLHs) offer abstinence-based housing for individuals with alcohol or drug problems. Research shows residents of SLHs make improvements on measures of substance use and other problems. Length of stay (LOS) in the house is associated with outcomes. However, little is known about the reasons residents leave houses or how reasons are associated with outcomes.

methodsBaseline interviews were conducted with individuals entering 48 SLHs in Los Angeles. Residents who left within 12 months completed a 12-month follow-up interview (

resultsThe most commonly cited reason for leaving was wanting to live on one's own or in a shared living situation with family or friends (45.7%), which was associated with increased odds of abstinence and fewer psychiatric symptoms. Leaving due to not liking something about the house (e.g., rules or living conditions) was the second most commonly cited reason for leaving (28.1%), but was not associated with any outcomes. Wanting to live on one's own and did not get along with residents or the house manager were associated with favorable housing (i.e., stable housing or a different SLH).

conclusionResidents who leave SLHs to live more independently in the community may be better prepared than residents who leave for other reasons. Some residents may benefit from seeking stable housing in the community or in another SLH if they are not a good match for their current house.

Indexed as

Alcohol AbstinenceHousingMental DisordersSubstance-Related DisordersAdultFemaleHumansLength of StayLos AngelesMaleMiddle Agedrecovery homeretentionSober living housesocial modelstable housing

Identifiers

PMID40241267
PMCPMC12083549

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.