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How can trust be investigated? Drawing lessons from past experience
1Centre for Health Policy, School of Public Health, University of Witwatersrand, SA. jane.goudge@nhls.ac.za
Social Science & Medicine (1982)
|July 12, 2005
Summary
Defining and measuring trust in healthcare requires careful consideration of context. Qualitative research should precede quantitative studies to ensure appropriate methods and valid, reliable tools for investigating trust across diverse settings.
Area of Science:
- Health Services Research
- Social Sciences
- Methodology
Background:
- Trust is increasingly important in public and academic discourse, yet remains challenging to define and study.
- Existing research on trust spans various disciplines and settings, highlighting methodological complexities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review methods used in trust research within the health sector.
- To provide guidance for future research on trust in healthcare settings.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies investigating trust across different contexts and disciplines.
- Analysis of qualitative and quantitative research approaches for studying trust.
Main Results:
- Trust definitions are highly context-dependent.
- Qualitative research is crucial for understanding perceptions of trust before quantitative investigation.
- Existing research tools require validation for relevance and reliability in new settings.
- Cultural differences can impact the validity of international trust measurement tools.
Conclusions:
- Future trust research should prioritize context-specific definitions and methods.
- A mixed-methods approach, starting with qualitative exploration, is recommended.
- Rigorous validation of research tools is essential for accurate trust assessment.
- Cross-cultural validation is necessary for international trust research.