Comprehensive drug policies increase trust in local government: an analysis of authorities' and residents' perspectives in rural US Appalachian and Midwestern counties.

ABSTRACT:

Background

In many rural US Appalachian and Midwestern counties, stigma surrounding harm reduction interventions has led health professionals and policymakers to approach drug policy implementation with caution, fearing potential backlash from politically conservative communities. One concern is that the public's disapproval of harm-reduction policies may erode the public's trust in its government.

Methods

This study examined how the public's trust in the local government-as both self-reported and authority-assessed-is influenced by the perceived governmental support of comprehensive drug policies (i.e., inclusive of both drug treatment and harm reduction). Survey data gathered from 138 community authorities and 6,609 community residents from 13 Appalachian and Midwestern st

SUBMITTER: Liu X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11912737 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature