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Trust in the health care professional and health outcome: A meta-analysis

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  • Johanna Birkhäuer
  • Jens Gaab
  • Joe Kossowsky
  • Sebastian Hasler
  • Peter Krummenacher
  • Christoph Werner
  • Heike Gerger

Abstract

Objective: To examine whether patients’ trust in the health care professional is associated with health outcomes. Study selection: We searched 4 major electronic databases for studies that reported quantitative data on the association between trust in the health care professional and health outcome. We screened the full-texts of 400 publications and included 47 studies in our meta-analysis. Data extraction and data synthesis: We conducted random effects meta-analyses and meta-regressions and calculated correlation coefficients with corresponding 95% confidence intervals. Two interdependent researchers assessed the quality of the included studies using the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines. Results: Overall, we found a small to moderate correlation between trust and health outcomes (r = 0.24, 95% CI: 0.19–0.29). Subgroup analyses revealed a moderate correlation between trust and self-rated subjective health outcomes (r = 0.30, 0.24–0.35). Correlations between trust and objective (r = -0.02, -0.08–0.03) as well as observer-rated outcomes (r = 0.10, -0.16–0.36) were non-significant. Exploratory analyses showed a large correlation between trust and patient satisfaction and somewhat smaller correlations with health behaviours, quality of life and symptom severity. Heterogeneity was small to moderate across the analyses. Conclusions: From a clinical perspective, patients reported more beneficial health behaviours, less symptoms and higher quality of life and to be more satisfied with treatment when they had higher trust in their health care professional. There was evidence for upward bias in the summarized results. Prospective studies are required to deepen our understanding of the complex interplay between trust and health outcomes.

Suggested Citation

  • Johanna Birkhäuer & Jens Gaab & Joe Kossowsky & Sebastian Hasler & Peter Krummenacher & Christoph Werner & Heike Gerger, 2017. "Trust in the health care professional and health outcome: A meta-analysis," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(2), pages 1-13, February.
  • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0170988
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0170988
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    Cited by:

    1. Wolsko, Christopher & Marino, Elizabeth & Keys, Susan, 2020. "Affirming cultural values for health: The case of firearm restriction in suicide prevention," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 248(C).
    2. Holly Blake & Kathryn Watkins & Matthew Middleton & Natalia Stanulewicz, 2021. "Obesity and Diet Predict Attitudes towards Health Promotion in Pre-Registered Nurses and Midwives," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(24), pages 1-20, December.
    3. Shreya S. Shrikhande & Sonja Merten & Olga Cambaco & Tristan Lee & Ravivarman Lakshmanasamy & Martin Röösli & Mohammad Aqiel Dalvie & Jürg Utzinger & Guéladio Cissé, 2023. "“Climate Change and Health?”: Knowledge and Perceptions among Key Stakeholders in Puducherry, India," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(6), pages 1-18, March.
    4. Bireswar Dutta & Mei-Hui Peng & Chien-Chih Chen & Shu-Lung Sun, 2022. "Role of Infodemics on Social Media in the Development of People’s Readiness to Follow COVID-19 Preventive Measures," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-22, January.
    5. Anna LIADOVA, 2018. "The New Trends in Medicine and Trust," Book chapters-LUMEN Proceedings, in: Veaceslav MANOLACHI & Cristian Mihail RUS & Svetlana RUSNAC (ed.), New Approaches in Social and Humanistic Sciences, edition 1, volume 3, chapter 22, pages 266-273, Editura Lumen.
    6. Pavolini, Emmanuele & Kuhlmann, Ellen & Agartan, Tuba I. & Burau, Viola & Mannion, Russell & Speed, Ewen, 2018. "Healthcare governance, professions and populism: Is there a relationship? An explorative comparison of five European countries," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 122(10), pages 1140-1148.
    7. Richmond, Jennifer & Boynton, Marcella H. & Ozawa, Sachiko & Muessig, Kathryn E. & Cykert, Samuel & Ribisl, Kurt M., 2022. "Development and Validation of the Trust in My Doctor, Trust in Doctors in General, and Trust in the Health Care Team Scales," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 298(C).
    8. Li, Changle & Khan, M. Mahmud & Chen, Zhuo, 2023. "Public trust of physicians in China improved since the COVID-19 pandemic Began," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 320(C).

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