Work

The vicious cycle of distrust: Access, quality, and efficiency within a post-communist mental health system

Year: 2021

Type: article

Abstract: Trust -a critical mechanism to manage vulnerability amidst uncertainty- may greatly influence healthcare practices, and consequently, its objectives. Building upon the work of Jürgen Habermas and the framework of trust chains, the aim of this article is to unpack how trust dynamics between the state, the provider, and the service user shape the functioning of mental healthcare in one of the former Soviet states -Lithuania. The case is of interest to medical sociology due to the region's historical and contemporary context. By drawing on in-depth interviews with healthcare providers and users, I demonstrate how the chains of reciprocal distrust underpin the workings of the mental health system and how the actors in turn employ a range of responses to such distrust. The instances of trusting relations nevertheless demonstrate how trust might facilitate the strive for mental healthcare that is more accessible, efficient, and of higher quality.

Source: Social Science & Medicine

DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.114573

Author: Sigita Doblytė

Institution: Universidad de Oviedo

Language: English

Topic: Health, Medicine and Society

Subfield: General Health Professions

Field: Health Professions

Domain: Health Sciences

SDGs: Peace, justice, and strong institutions, Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,090