Trust in Doctors/hospitals declines especially since 2021..covid

https://brownstone.org/articles/trust-in-doctors-and-hospitals-plummets/

One incredibly interesting part of this study was the revealing of the open-text responses that survey respondents gave for their lack of trust. From the supplement, here are the top 4 themes why patients have lost trust.

1. Financial Motives Over Patient Care: This theme includes perceptions of healthcare as primarily profit-driven, where financial incentives outweigh patient welfare. Respondents believe that decisions are made based on profitability rather than the best interests of patients.

2. Poor Quality of Care and Negligence: Responses that mention experiences of neglect, inadequate care, misdiagnosis, or dismissive attitudes from healthcare providers fall under this category. This also includes perceptions of healthcare professionals not listening or taking patient concerns seriously.

3. Influence of External Entities and Agendas: Here, the focus is on the belief that decisions in healthcare are unduly influenced by pharmaceutical companies, government entities, or other external powers. This includes suspicions of dishonesty or withholding information for nonmedical reasons.

4. Discrimination and Bias: Responses indicating experiences or beliefs that healthcare providers exhibit bias, discrimination, or lack of cultural competency. This can include racial discrimination, gender bias, or insensitivity to patient backgrounds.

Another interesting analysis in the supplement was the inclusion of political affiliation. The tendency for Republicans and Independents to have lower trust overall than Democrats should not surprise anyone, as the polarization of vaccines, masks, and lockdowns made it clear that the left was in favor of doing anything at all in the name of combating Covid, no matter the cost.

I get it. My own trust in doctors is less now than it was in the past for the reasons listed here.

But when we are ill, we have little choice but to trust the doctors that care for us. I feel that in my 2023 health issues, I had a really good team of doctors from the ER all the way to my surgeon. I trusted them. My life depended on them and they came through.

The two doctors I now see allow me to call the shots. I think they listen to me. I told my doctor a year ago that I am doing no more Covid shots and also that I will have no more flu shots and he remembered (or at least he saw it on the computer screen - so it was noted there). That's enough for me. He gave me absolutely no pressure to change my mind.

We just have to take responsibility for our own health and hope that our doctors are noting what needs to be noted.... and that they are listening to us.

I agree with you on the ER doctors. BOTH times in serious health conditions..it was the ER doc that listened to me and followed through. If it had been left up to my regular docs...i'd likely be dead. They ignored my liver numbers staring them right in the face...they ignored my list of symptoms the second time too. I find that my reg docs do not follow through, unless i push it. I was told PUSH IT by members of the family who ARE nurses but in another state. I have way less trust in them in particular in what they prescribe and i notice that their solution is the same every time...even when i TELL THEM IT IS NOT WORKING. I try to confuse the records and say, yes i'm up to date on all vaccines but when they say are you ready for this or that vaccine i decline. I'm all for muddying the water...they don't pay any attention anyway...and if i get in trouble...i'll head for the ER for actual real results.

Jen wrote:I get it.  My own trust in doctors is less now than it was in the past for the reasons listed here.

But when we are ill, we have little choice but to trust the doctors that care for us.  I feel that in my 2023 health issues, I had a really good team of doctors from the ER all the way to my surgeon.  I trusted them.  My life depended on them and they came through.  

The two doctors I now see allow me to call the shots.  I think they listen to me.  I told my doctor a year ago that I am doing no more Covid shots and also that I will have no more flu shots and he remembered (or at least he saw it on the computer screen - so it was noted there).  That's enough for me.  He gave me absolutely no pressure to change my mind.

We just have to take responsibility for our own health and hope that our doctors are noting what needs to be noted.... and that they are listening to us.  

You one hundred percent correct, Jen. A person must be pro active concerning their health.