Measuring patients' trust in their primary care providers.
Existing scales to measure trust in physicians have differing content and limited testing. To improve on these measures, a detailed conceptual model was constructed and a large item pool (n = 78) was generated following a detailed conceptual model and expert review. After pilot testing, the best-performing items were validated with a random national sample (n = 959) and a regional sample of HMO members (n =1,199). Various psychometric tests produced a 10-item unidimensional scale consistent with most aspects of the conceptual model. Compared with previous scales, the Wake Forest physician trust scale has a somewhat improved combination of internal consistency, variability, and discriminability. The scale is more strongly correlated with satisfaction, desire to remain with a physician, willingness to recommend to friends, and not seeking second opinions; it is less correlated with insurer trust, membership in managed care, and choice of physician. Correlations are equivalent with lack of disputes, length of relationship, and number of visits [corrected].
Hall
Mark A
MA
Wake Forest University, USA.
Zheng
Beiyao
B
Dugan
Elizabeth
E
Camacho
Fabian
F
Kidd
Kristin E
KE
Mishra
Aneil
A
Balkrishnan
Rajesh
R
D002983:Clinical Competence; D003219:Confidentiality; D017144:Focus Groups; D006279:Health Maintenance Organizations; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010361:Patients / Q000523:psychology*; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000145:classification; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000379:methods*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States
Empirical Approach; Professional Patient Relationship