Trust in physicians among U.S. chinese older adults.
BACKGROUND
Trust in physicians influences the health and well-being of older adults and is an important indicator to assess the quality of medical care. However, Asian aging populations are often underrepresented in studies of patient trust in physicians. This study aims to examine the level of trust in physicians among Chinese older adults in a community-dwelling Chinese aging population.


METHODS
Data were drawn from the Population Study of Chinese Elderly, a population-based survey of U.S. Chinese older adults in the Greater Chicago area. Guided by a community-based participatory research approach, a total of 3,159 Chinese older adults aged 60 and above were surveyed. An 11-item scale was used to measure participants' trust in physicians.


RESULTS
On a scale of 11-55, the level of trust in physician among U.S. Chinese older adults was 42.0 (SD = 6.3). Items related to confidence in physicians' knowledge and skills were most commonly endorsed, including trusting physicians' judgment on medical care (84.8%), trusting physicians' advice (84.2%), and trusting physicians' words that something is so and must be true (81.2%). Younger age, male gender, higher educational level, fewer years of residing in the United States and in the community, poorer self-reported health status, and poorer quality of life were associated with lower level of trust in physicians.


CONCLUSIONS
Trust in physician is commonly endorsed among U.S. Chinese older adults. However, future longitudinal studies are needed to improve our understanding of risk factors and outcomes associated with trust in physicians among U.S. Chinese older adults.
Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Northwestern University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois. m-simon2@northwestern.edu.
Melissa A
MA
Simon
Rush Institute for Healthy Aging, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois.
Manrui
M
Zhang
Rush Institute for Healthy Aging, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois.
XinQi
X
Dong
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001213:Asian / Q000523:psychology*; D002641:Chicago; D002681:China / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D035502:Trust
Chinese aging.; Older adults; Population studies; Trust in physician