A network of six universities and research institutes across four countries (Belgium, England, the Netherlands and Scotland) has been successful in winning the right to carry out a major piece of research into addiction recovery. This research is funded by the European Research Area Network on Illicit Drugs (ERANID). The research institutes that are conducting this piece of research called Recovery Pathways (REC-PATH) are as follows: University of Derby, UK (David Best); Ghent University, Belgium (Wouter Vanderplasschen); IVO Research Institute, the Netherlands (Gera Nagelhout); Tilburg University, the Netherlands (Dike van de Mheen); University of Manchester, UK (Tim Millar); & University College Ghent, Belgium (Jessica De Maeyer).

The aim of the REC-PATH study is to map pathways to recovery in populations engaging with different mechanisms of behavior change for recovery: through mutual aid, peer-based support, outpatient treatment or residential treatment, or through “natural recovery”, at different stages of their recovery trajectories. The study is the first major comparative study of addiction recovery undertaken in Europe and will allow us to look at the mechanisms that help to initiate and support recovery.

Data collection:

• Life in Recovery survey: 722 responses were collected in 2018
• Outcome Baseline Survey: 367 responses were collected in 2018
• Outcome Follow-up Survey: 323 responses were collected in 2019
• Photovoice: collected in 2019
• Extra COVID-19 Follow-up Survey: to be collected in november-december 2020