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Trust by the numbers

June 03, 2022 | Company News

A map of the united states wrapped with a stethoscope cable.

What are the bright spots — and trouble areas — in America’s relationship with its care providers?

If you could put trust in a bottle, prescribing it would save millions of lives. Trusted providers can help people get more screenings, accept routine vaccines and take other measures that help keep them healthy — a finding that has held up after decades of research.

The uncertainty of the pandemic and online misinformation have recently eroded that trust. How big is the problem, and what can be done to get the relationship back on track?

Download the infographic (PDF)

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Health Trends: Trust in Health Care Where Has Trust Gone?

Summer 2022

Americans trust the health care system less now...

73%1

44%2

Timeline: In 1966 trust was at 73% reference, in 2021 it has dropped to 44% reference

...as they mistrust many big institutions.3

69% Military

51% Police

44% Health Care
System

39% Presidency

36% Supreme
Court

Despite heroic levels of care, the pandemic shook that trust4:

Change in health care trust... crosslines Crosslines

30%

Decreased

32%

53%

Remained steady

56%

17%

Increased

11%

Politicization of the pandemic and online misinformation were a few reasons for this lost trust.5

Among the public, race/ethnicity also plays a big role6

Trust in health care

55% Black

57% Hispanic

62% White

...and so does income level.

Low 55%

Moderate 64%

High 71%

Trust is important because

People with higher trust are more likely7

...to be
vacinated

percentages: 84% high trust, 46% low trust

…to have a
recent checkup

percentages: 81% high trust, 58% low trust

…and to agree
with public
health measures

percentages: 58% high trust, 42% low trust

How does trust get built?

+10 percentages points

Engagement builds trust. Low-income people who had a recent checkup were much more likely to trust the system.8

Trust also gets built by choosing the right ambassadors. Health care professionals are among the most trusted Americans9...

Health care professionals: 90% nurses, 89% paramedics, 89% firefighters, 88% physicians, 84% pharmacists, 82% farmers

...and so is what they say.
People trust information from10:

76% my doctor

71% health
experts

69% pharmacists

63% friends
and family

62% national health
authorities

And primary care remains a trusted part of the health care experience

78%

hands

of people who trust their primary care physician, with that trust increasing with age and number of health issues11:

Ages 18-19

59%

Ages 30-44

74%

Ages 45-59

84%

Ages 66+

90%

For more information about the trust crisis in health care and what can be done about it, read the CVS Health Trends Report. CVSHealth.com/HealthTrends/Trust

Text-only version of the Where Has the Trust Gone?” infographic

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Where Has Trust Gone?

Americans trust the health care system less now...

  • 1966 – 73%1

  • 2021 – 44%2

… as they mistrust many big institutions.3

  • Military – 69%

  • Police – 51%

  • Health Care system – 44%

  • Presidency – 38%

  • Supreme Court – 36%

Despite heroic levels of care, the pandemic shook that trust4:

Change in health care trust among physicians

  • Decreased– 30%

  • Remained steady – 53%

  • Increased– 17%

Change in Health care trust among the public

  • Decreased – 32%

  • Remained steady – 56%

  • Increased – 11%

Politicization of the pandemic and online misinformation were a few reasons for this lost trust5

Among the public, race/ethnicity also plays a big role6...

Trust in health care

  • Black – 55%

  • Hispanic – 57%

  • White – 62%

…and so does income level.

Trust in health care

  • Low – 55%

  • Moderate – 64%

  • High – 71%

Trust is important because

People with higher trust are more likely7

…to be vaccinated

  • High trust – 84%

  • Low trust – 46%

…to have a recent checkup

  • High trust – 81%

  • Low trust – 58%

…and to agree with public health measures

High trust – 58%

Low trust - 42%

HOW DOES TRUST GET BUILT?

+10 percentage points

Engagement builds trust. Low-income people who had a recent checkup were much more likely to trust the system.8

Trust also gets built by choosing the right ambassadors. Health care professionals are among the most trusted Americans…9

  • Nurses 90%

  • Paramedics 89%

  • Firefighters 89%

  • Physicians 88%

  • Pharmacists 84%

  • Farmers 82%

…and so is what they say. People trust information from:10

  • my doctor – 76%

  • health experts – 71%

  • pharmacists – 69%

  • friends and family – 63%

  • national health authorities – 62%

And primary care remains a trusted part of the health care experience

78% of people who trust their primary care physician, with that trust increasing with age and number of health issues: 11

  • 18-19 - 59%

  • 30-44 - 74%

  • 45-59 - 84%

  • 66+ - 90%

For more information about the trust crisis in health care and what can be done about it, read the CVS Health Trends Report. CVSHealth.com/HealthTrends/Trust