Association Between Trust in Health Care Professionals and Health Care Access: Insights From an Online Survey Across 21 Countries.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

This study evaluates the association between trust in health care professionals and health care delays across 21 countries.

Methods

We apply logistic regression models to survey data of over 621,000 individuals collected in Spring 2023.

Results

Results show 44.5% of respondents with medical conditions experienced delays in accessing health care and 44.1% reported lack of trust in health care professionals. Those who trusted health care professionals had significantly lower odds of delaying medical care. Trust was most strongly associated with delays in the United Kingdom (OR = 0.373, 95% CI = 0.273-0.510), while South Africa had the smallest association (OR = 0.762, 95% CI = 0.582-0.997).

Conclusion

Trust is important in influencing health care-seeki

SUBMITTER: Ewald L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12018240 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature