Recovery Capital in Chinese Drug Rehabilitation: Exploring Person-Centred and Community-Based Perspectives

Chinese drug policy has begun to introduce recovery frameworks and rehabilitation models. These developments follow the recovery movement and align with several principles of recovery capital. However, this approach has tended to focus on what state systems understand recovery to be, often at the expense of how people experiencing drug dependence understand recovery. This study examines the different processes and purposes of recovery capital among those in drug rehabilitation programs in China, to highlight the importance of person-centred and community-based recovery.

From May to September 2024, the first author conducted semi-structured interviews with 24 people who had completed compulsory isolation rehabilitation in urban locations in China. Of these, 16 were undergoing community-based rehabilitation and eight had recently completed it. Thematic analysis was conducted to code for themes.

Our study found that the legal and social stigma consequences of drug use impact how people access recovery resources in China. Data indicate that people's needs around employment, childcare and chronic illness management were often overlooked and that class differences played a significant role in access to recovery-related resources. Finally, participants provide a range of recommendations around making these resources more available and accessible, as well as practical strategies for navigating structural issues and barriers.

Our findings confirm a significant mismatch between Chinese national rehabilitation policy frameworks and individual people's visions of recovery. Our study presents evidence for the benefit of reorienting recovery capital as an idea, and recovery policy in practice, around person-centred and community-based concerns.