Faith leaders' perceptions of needle exchange programs in the rural Illinois Delta Region: Religion as a social determinant of health.

Congruent with previous harm reduction literature, many rural faith leaders have varied perceptions of NEPs. Rural faith leaders could benefit from education about NEPs, including the possible positive and negative impacts they can have on the community. Future studies should explore contextual differences among rural faith leaders. To date, no studies have examined faith-based organizations' perceptions of NEPs. The findings have the potential to increase the current body of knowledge and provide data to support recommendations for engaging faith-based organizations in behavioral health service delivery.