Work

How patient-physician encounters in critical medical situations affect trust: results of a national survey

Year: 2004

Type: article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Patients' trust in physicians and in the medical profession is vital for a successful patient-physician relationship. Trust is especially salient in critical medical situations, such as serious side-effects, hospitalizations, and diagnoses of serious medical conditions, but most trust studies have been done with the general population or in routine primary care settings. This study examines the association between patient-physician encounters in such critical medical situations and patients' trust in their physician and in the medical profession in general. METHODS: A random national telephone survey was conducted using validated multi-item questionnaire measuring trust and satisfaction with physicians and with the medical profession. A seven item questionnaire measured the patient-physician encounters in critical medical situations. A total of 1117 subjects aged 20 years and older with health insurance were included for analyses. Spearman rank order correlations were used to determine the association of encounter variables with trust in physicians and the medical profession. RESULTS: Prescription of medications by primary care physicians that patients believed might have side effects was negatively correlated with trust in physician (rho = -0.12, p < 0.001, n = 1045) in multivariate analysis. A primary care physician evaluating the patient for a condition the patient believed was serious was positively correlated with trust in physician (rho= 0.08, p < 0.01). Being hospitalized was positively correlated with trust in the medical profession (rho = 0.12, p < 0.01, n = 475). CONCLUSION: Hospitalization, perceived seriousness of condition, and concerns about the risks of medications were found to be associated with patient trust in physicians or the medical profession. These findings highlight the salience of trust in serious physician-patient encounters and the role that patient vulnerability plays in determining patient trust.

Source: BMC Health Services Research

DOI: 10.1186/1472-6963-4-24

Authors: Rahul A Shenolikar, Rajesh Balkrishnan, Mark A Hall

Institution: Wake Forest University

Language: English

Topic: Patient-Provider Communication in Healthcare

Subfield: General Health Professions

Field: Health Professions

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,290