Proportion of Remission in Polysubstance Recovery
Measuring Recovery with Proportion of Remission
Celebrating each success: proportion of remission as a measure of recovery from polysubstance use disorder proportion of remission; a recovery measure
Fatima Quddos; Rafaela M. Fontes; Warren K. Bickel
Harm Reduction Journal
2026 February
Summary
This article introduces proportion of remission as a recovery measure for polysubstance use disorder. Rather than treating recovery as a simple yes-or-no outcome, proportion of remission captures partial progress across multiple substances and recognizes that recovery may happen gradually. This approach may better reflect the real experiences of people recovering from polysubstance use, where success can include meaningful reductions or remission across some substances even before full remission is reached. The article emphasizes the importance of measuring recovery in a way that celebrates incremental progress and provides a more nuanced picture of treatment and recovery outcomes.
Key Findings:
Proportion of remission captures partial recovery more effectively than binary abstinence measures.
Implications:
Using proportion of remission can improve how recovery is measured and tracked.