Trust and Public Health

Trust and Public Health

Trust and public health are inextricably linked. State actors are key participants in population health, organizing mandates and guidelines that target health behaviors and encourage the uptake of medicines, screenings, and control of health conditions. Effective implementation of government-sponsored efforts is conditional on the public’s belief that the state is trustworthy and has one's best interest in mind—positioning trust in government as a central determinant of public health.

Trusting relationships between patients, health systems, and healthcare providers are also essential, as high-quality, safe care and adherence with healthcare professionals’ recommendations heavily depend upon trust. In many countries, trust in government and healthcare providers are inseparable, as governments are the primary providers of healthcare.

The lack of research on the sociostructural, economic, and political sources of low trust limits our understanding of how these deficits might be remedied. We will create new research and learning opportunities focused on understanding the various sources of trust, mistrust, and distrust that affect public health, healthcare, and health policy. 

Faculty Leads: David Carter, Matthew Gabel, Jimin Ding, and Mark Huffman