Who trusts healthcare institutions? Results from a community-based sample.
OBJECTIVE
The goal of this research was to examine racial differences in trust in various healthcare institutions.


METHODS
In telephone interviews, 195 Whites, 183 Blacks, and 171 Latinos from Durham, NC indicated how often they trust various institutions (community doctors, local hospitals, county health department, insurance companies, and state and federal government) to do what is best for patients.


RESULTS
In bivariate analyses, trust in various healthcare institutions was associated with race; Whites and Latinos trusted physicians more often than Blacks, and Latinos trusted the health department, insurance companies, and both government entities more often than Whites and Blacks (Ps < .01). In adjusted analyses controlling for marital status, financial status, and education, race was still associated with trust. Whites trusted physicians more often than Blacks, and Latinos trusted insurance companies, the state government, and the federal government more often than Whites and Blacks (Ps < .01).


CONCLUSIONS
Racial differences in trust of healthcare institutions vary by institution type. Future studies of trust and interventions designed to improve trust must account for race and target institution differences.
Voils
Corrine I
CI
Center for Health Services Research in Primary Care, Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, NC 27705, USA. voils001@mc.duke.edu
Oddone
Eugene Z
EZ
Weinfurt
Kevin P
KP
Friedman
Joëlle Y
JY
Schulman
Kevin A
KA
Bosworth
Hayden B
HB
D000328:Adult; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009657:North Carolina; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D035502:Trust