Trust in Physicians and Hospitals During the COVID-19 Pandemic in a 50-State Survey of US Adults
Roy H. Perlis, MD, M; Katherine Ognyanova, PhD4; Ata Uslu, MS
Question How did trust in physicians and hospitals change during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Findings In every sociodemographic group in this survey study among 443 455 unique respondents aged 18 years or older residing in the US, trust in physicians and hospitals decreased substantially over the course of the pandemic, from 71.5% in April 2020 to 40.1% in January 2024. Individuals with lower levels of trust were less likely to have been vaccinated or received boosters for COVID-19.
Meaning This study suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic has been associated with a continuing decrease in trust in physicians and hospitals, which may necessitate strategies to rebuild that trust to achieve public health priorities.