The relationships between physician-patient communication and patient trust in outpatient clients at hospitals of Tabriz

Abstract

Abstract

Background and Aims: Patient trust in physicians, which can be considered a collective good, is necessary for an effective health care system. However, there is a widespread concern that patient trust in physicians is declining under various threats to the physician–patient relationship worldwide. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between physician-patient communications with patient trust in outpatients referred to the clinic in the hospitals of Tabriz.

Materials and Methods: This study is a descriptive-analytical study that was conducted in 1398 in outpatient clinics of Imam Reza and Valiasr hospitals in Tabriz. The research sample was 347 outpatients who referred to these clinics. A physician-patient communication and patient trust questionnaires were used to collect data. Descriptive statistics and independent t-test, ANOVA, and linear regression tests were used for the data analyzes.

Results: The results of the present study showed that more than 80% of the clients stated that the way they communicate with the doctor is desirable. The lowest and highest mean score was related to the dimensions of "how to communicate at the beginning of treatment" and "understanding the patient's feelings and cognition". On the other hand, there was a significant relationship between the patient's physician's relationship with marital status, ethnicity and patients' education. The findings also showed that 93.6% of clients had high trust in physician. Moreover, among the variables the physician-patient communication, age, type of hospital, and place of residence predicted patients' trust levels.

Conclusion: Patients' distrust in physicians leads to non-compliance with physician's instructions and incurring heavy costs for the patient and the health system, so it seems necessary to take measures to improve physicians' communication skills and gain patients' trust.